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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — the earth
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fork — in a road
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bark — to shout
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — of a plant

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