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: track · face · can · squash · date · branch · stick · trunk

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. date — the fruit
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. track — a song
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. face — to confront
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. track — to keep track
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. squash — the sport
  17. can — to be able to
  18. squash — to crush
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. branch — a division
  21. face — part of the head
  22. track — a path
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. can — a tin

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