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 120 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: tube · branch · face · sharp · craft · fan · bark · leaves

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. craft — boats
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bark — to shout
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. face — to confront
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. tube — the underground
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. craft — a skill
  18. tube — a container
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. branch — a division
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. face — to point toward
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — with an edge

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