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 116 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: pound · stock · hand · safe · branch · bowl · calf · stand

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. hand — in cards
  3. stock — shares
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stand — to bear
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. hand — help
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. pound — a weight
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stock — goods
  21. branch — a division
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. calf — a young animal

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