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 124 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. cue — a signal
  3. press — newspapers
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wake — a trail
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. tube — the underground
  9. press — a publisher
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bark — to shout
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rock — music
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. tube — a container
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. press — to push

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