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: face · branch · pitcher · drill · press · track · roll · wake

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. drill — army training
  3. roll — a cake
  4. track — a song
  5. face — to point toward
  6. press — newspapers
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. track — a path
  10. roll — a list
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. press — to push
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. drill — the tool
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. drill — a practice
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wake — a trail
  21. track — to keep track
  22. face — to confront
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. face — part of the head

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