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: fall · can · branch · bark · track · season · bear · ball

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. season — of the year
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. fall — to drop
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. track — a song
  12. branch — a division
  13. can — a tin
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bark — to shout
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. track — a path
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. fall — the season

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