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 116 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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. track — a song
  3. branch — a division
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. track — a path
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wax — to grow
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. season — in sport
  22. track — to keep track
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — to add flavour

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