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 120 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: object · mate · safe · wake · bark · bank · degree · branch

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. degree — from a university
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. object — an aim
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. wake — a trail
  9. mate — to breed
  10. degree — temperature
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mate — a partner
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — a thing
  15. degree — an amount
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bank — of a river
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — a division
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bark — to shout
  24. safe — out of danger

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