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: net · trunk · branch · mug · stock · squash · suit · wake

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stock — shares
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. net — after costs
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — a trail
  10. branch — a division
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mug — to rob
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. mug — a face
  15. stock — goods
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. net — for catching
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. net — in sport
  20. squash — the sport
  21. suit — to fit
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. squash — to crush
  24. wake — before a funeral

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