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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. press — to push
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. roll — a cake
  8. branch — a division
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bank — for money
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bank — of a river
  14. press — a publisher
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bark — to shout
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. press — newspapers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bank — for money
  24. roll — a list

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