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: straw · temple · bark · branch · rash · can · chest · patient

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. chest — of your body
  6. can — a tin
  7. chest — a box
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. chest — of your body
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — hasty
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. branch — a division
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. branch — of a bank

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