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: bank · patient · bark · trunk · drill · deal · lie · swing

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. drill — a practice
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bark — to shout
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bank — for money
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. drill — the tool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. drill — army training
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. swing — in golf
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play 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