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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stand — to bear
  5. roll — a list
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lie — to recline
  12. branch — a division
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. vault — a safe
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bark — to shout
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mouse — for a computer

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