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 120 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. charge — a price
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wake — a trail
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bore — to drill
  18. branch — a division

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