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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. drill — army training
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. object — to protest
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bark — to shout
  9. lie — to recline
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. plane — a tool
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. object — an aim
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. branch — a division
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. drill — the tool
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. fork — in a road
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bark — of a tree

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