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: bark · prune · clip · branch · wave · fork · spell · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. clip — to cut
  7. clip — a video
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — a short time
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bark — to shout
  16. fork — in a road
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. spell — letters
  22. prune — to trim
  23. clip — for paper
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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