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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. clip — to cut
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. clip — a video
  8. row — to paddle
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. shower — rain
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. row — a line
  16. date — the fruit
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. rock — music
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. shower — to wash
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. clip — for paper

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