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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — certain
  4. ground — the earth
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. file — a tool
  7. bank — of a river
  8. firm — steady
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. firm — decided
  11. shower — rain
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bound — obliged
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. shower — to wash
  16. ground — a position
  17. bank — for money
  18. firm — a company
  19. bank — for money
  20. ground — crushed
  21. file — a document
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a bank

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