ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · ball · plane · branch · hand · stock · can · mouse

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stock — shares
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. hand — help
  9. can — a tin
  10. branch — a division
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bass — low music
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. stock — goods
  16. bass — the fish
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. hand — in cards
  24. mouse — for a computer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com