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: ruler · trunk · branch · bear · fork · wake · wax · sharp

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fork — in a road
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. sharp — clever
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wax — to grow
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. branch — a division

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