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: branch · root · stock · rush · wake · calf · perch · fork

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. stock — goods
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. root — of a word
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. root — of a plant
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. fork — in a road
  18. stock — shares
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rush — hurry
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. root — the cause
  24. wake — before a funeral

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