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 116 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: lean · branch · bear · degree · face · trunk · object · bark

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bark — to shout
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. face — to confront
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bear — the animal
  9. degree — temperature
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. face — part of the head
  13. object — to protest
  14. branch — a division
  15. face — to point toward
  16. degree — from a university
  17. object — an aim
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. degree — an amount
  20. lean — thin
  21. object — a thing
  22. bear — the animal
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. lean — to rest against

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