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: toast · bark · shower · last · stand · press · rule · branch

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. rule — government
  4. branch — a division
  5. bark — to shout
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. last — finally
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. press — to push
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. press — newspapers
  17. last — to go on
  18. rule — a law
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. last — final
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. stand — to bear
  24. toast — the most admired

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