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 116 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. tube — a container
  5. object — to protest
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bark — to shout
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bear — the animal
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. branch — a division
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rule — government
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — a law

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