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: mug · branch · racket · season · rock · track · bark · row

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  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. mug — a face
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. season — of the year
  4. track — a path
  5. mug — to rob
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. mug — a cup
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rock — a stone
  14. row — to paddle
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. rock — music
  19. track — a song
  20. season — in sport
  21. row — a line
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bark — of a tree
  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