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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. face — part of the head
  7. root — of a plant
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fork — in a road
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stand — to bear
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. wake — a trail
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. root — the cause
  17. face — to point toward
  18. root — of a word
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. face — to confront
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. branch — a division

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