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: bank · craft · sharp · fan · temple · band · branch · prune

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. band — a music group
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. branch — a division
  8. prune — to trim
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a skill
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. band — a ring
  19. bank — for money
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fan — a supporter

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