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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. present — a gift
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. board — a committee
  14. wound — an injury
  15. present — there
  16. chair — a leader
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. branch — a division
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. present — the time now
  21. wax — to grow
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. trunk — of a car

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