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 124 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: bowl · stock · branch · mate · drill · root · perch · chip

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. drill — army training
  3. chip — to eat
  4. drill — the tool
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. perch — the fish
  7. root — the cause
  8. chip — for betting
  9. drill — a practice
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. root — of a word
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — goods
  23. branch — a division
  24. root — of a plant

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