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 120 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: mug · fall · track · board · bark · ball · branch · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. branch — a division
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bore — to tire
  5. ball — a great time
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mug — a face
  17. fall — to drop
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. track — a song
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bark — to shout
  22. ball — a dance
  23. track — a path
  24. ball — a round shape

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