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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. net — after costs
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. net — for catching
  5. charge — in control
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. net — in sport
  10. charge — a price
  11. bark — to shout
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. branch — a division
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stand — to bear
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bark — of a tree

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