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: fork · nail · craft · content · sharp · track · leaves · branch

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. content — the amount
  5. track — a path
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. content — happy
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. craft — boats
  15. branch — a division
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. sharp — clever
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. fork — in a road

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