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 120 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: craft · root · club · march · fork · rock · branch · cue

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. march — music
  3. club — a group
  4. craft — a skill
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. craft — boats
  8. root — of a word
  9. club — for dancing
  10. rock — music
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. cue — for pool
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — a division
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. rock — a stone
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. cue — a signal
  20. root — the cause
  21. cue — a hint
  22. root — of a plant
  23. club — for golf
  24. fork — in a road

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