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: calf · ball · rest · rush · rash · bank · branch · bark

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bank — of a river
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bank — for money
  10. rash — a series
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bank — for money
  20. branch — a division
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rush — hurry
  24. ball — a dance

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