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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. perch — the fish
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. degree — from a university
  7. snap — to click
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. degree — temperature
  11. branch — a division
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. dip — to sink
  14. stem — to come from
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. degree — an amount
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bass — low music
  24. ruler — for measuring

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