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: branch · bark · clip · spring · bass · ruler · mug · safe

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  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. mug — a cup
  2. clip — for paper
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — a video
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mug — to rob
  8. spring — of water
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. spring — the season
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mug — a face
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. bass — low music
  23. spring — a coil
  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