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: fall · branch · pitcher · board · bear · jam · object · wake

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. branch — a division
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. object — to protest
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. board — a committee
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. fall — to drop
  17. object — a thing
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — a trail
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. object — an aim
  22. fall — the season
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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