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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. charge — in control
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. scale — in music
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. charge — a price
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. file — a document
  20. scale — size or range
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. file — a line of people
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. charge — electricity

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