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: spell · bore · bear · roll · temple · branch · clip · fork

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. spell — magic
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. clip — to cut
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bear — the animal
  10. clip — for paper
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. branch — a division
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. clip — a video
  16. spell — letters
  17. roll — a cake
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. spell — a short time
  20. fork — in a road
  21. roll — a list
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bore — to drill

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