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: patient · cabinet · bark · object · squash · race · branch · press

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. squash — the sport
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. branch — a division
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. race — a contest
  8. object — a thing
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. race — the arms race
  11. object — to protest
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. squash — to crush
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — to push
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bark — to shout
  22. race — humankind
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. object — an aim

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