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: temple · rock · rash · prune · branch · sharp · wound · bark

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rash — hasty
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. prune — to trim
  6. branch — a division
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — clever
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. rash — a series
  13. bark — to shout
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. rock — music
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rock — a stone
  24. temple — a place of worship

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