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 · bay · stand · pound · tear · snap · mark · lie

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. stand — to bear
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. pound — a weight
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. snap — to click
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. tear — to rip
  24. mark — a grade

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