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: calf · prune · fork · bark · board · press · branch · pitcher

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. prune — to trim
  5. press — a publisher
  6. branch — a division
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bark — to shout
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. press — to push
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. press — newspapers
  24. branch — of a bank

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