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: hide · firm · branch · dip · track · game · stock · prune

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. firm — a company
  3. game — wild animals
  4. stock — goods
  5. track — a song
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. firm — decided
  8. game — a match
  9. firm — steady
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. dip — to sink
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stock — shares
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. prune — to trim
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. track — a path
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. prune — to trim
  24. track — to keep track

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