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: branch · fork · bark · snap · ruler · season · plane · wax

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. season — of the year
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — a division
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. season — in sport
  22. snap — to click
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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