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: degree · branch · mark · mug · bowl · can · stock · fan

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. can — a tin
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mug — a face
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stock — goods
  9. degree — from a university
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mug — to rob
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. branch — a division
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stock — shares
  20. mug — a cup
  21. degree — temperature
  22. can — a tin
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. degree — an amount

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