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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. track — a song
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lean — thin
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. branch — a division
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. cold — an illness
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cold — not warm
  23. press — a publisher
  24. branch — of a bank

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