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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · press · charge · bark · track · branch · face · fine

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pass — a permit
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. charge — electricity
  9. press — a publisher
  10. face — to confront
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. face — to point toward
  13. fine — all right
  14. press — to push
  15. track — a song
  16. face — part of the head
  17. branch — a division
  18. charge — in control
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. press — newspapers
  21. track — to keep track
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. charge — a price
  24. bark — to shout

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