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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. branch — a division
  3. firm — steady
  4. staff — employees
  5. roll — a list
  6. bear — the animal
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. staff — employees
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. wound — an injury
  14. roll — a cake
  15. wax — to grow
  16. firm — decided
  17. wound — an injury
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. firm — a company
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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