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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. staff — employees
  3. bear — the animal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. race — a contest
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. race — humankind
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. hand — in cards
  16. race — the arms race
  17. hand — help
  18. fall — to drop
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. bear — to put up with

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