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: bass · craft · fork · bark · can · arm · spring · stock

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. craft — boats
  4. can — a tin
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. spring — of water
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. can — to be able to
  15. stock — goods
  16. bass — the fish
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stock — shares
  20. spring — the season
  21. bark — to shout
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. can — a tin
  24. bass — low music

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