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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. branch — a division
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. board — to get on
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. board — a committee
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. drill — a practice
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wake — a trail
  12. mug — a face
  13. ground — crushed
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. cue — a hint
  17. drill — the tool
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cue — for pool
  21. drill — army training
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. cue — a signal
  24. ground — a position

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