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: spell · drill · wake · bank · bark · trunk · stock · field

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. field — for sport
  7. drill — army training
  8. field — farmland
  9. drill — the tool
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — a short time
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. stock — goods
  16. bank — of a river
  17. field — a subject
  18. stock — shares
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bank — for money
  22. spell — letters
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bark — to shout

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