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: bore · trunk · row · bank · coach · leaves · pitcher · branch

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bank — for money
  8. bore — to tire
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. row — to paddle
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bore — to drill
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bank — for money
  21. row — a line
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a tree

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