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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. shower — rain
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — a safe
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bank — for money
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bark — to shout
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. branch — a division
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bank — of a river
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. calf — a young animal

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