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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. rock — a stone
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. season — of the year
  5. rock — music
  6. bank — for money
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bank — for money
  11. bulb — for light
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — in sport
  16. cap — of ice
  17. branch — a division
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bank — of a river

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