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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. tear — to rip
  5. track — a path
  6. stock — goods
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. tear — from crying
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. track — to keep track
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bear — the animal
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. track — a song
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stock — shares
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bear — the animal
  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