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: track · swing · mouse · drill · branch · bank · can · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. swing — music
  5. can — a tin
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. swing — in golf
  8. drill — the tool
  9. track — a song
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bank — for money
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bank — for money
  15. drill — army training
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bark — to shout
  20. branch — a division
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. can — a tin

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