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 116 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: face · bank · vault · row · bark · wound · branch · nail

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. vault — a safe
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. branch — a division
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bank — for money
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. row — a line
  19. face — to confront
  20. row — to paddle
  21. face — part of the head
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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