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: wake · mark · press · drill · bark · trunk · prune · temple

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. drill — the tool
  3. mark — a trace
  4. drill — army training
  5. bark — to shout
  6. drill — a practice
  7. press — a publisher
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. press — to push
  16. prune — to trim
  17. press — newspapers
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wake — a trail
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. prune — to trim

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