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: bass · content · track · rock · lash · bark · branch · temple

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. rock — music
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — happy
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. track — a song
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bark — to shout
  13. branch — a division
  14. bass — low music
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. track — a path
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. rock — a stone
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. track — to keep track

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