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 120 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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. band — a music group
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bark — to shout
  13. band — a ring
  14. can — a tin
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. can — a tin
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. vault — a safe
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. dip — a sauce

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