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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. mark — a grade
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — a group
  5. mate — a friend
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. scale — size or range
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. perch — the fish
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. scale — in music
  19. mark — a trace
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. club — for golf
  22. mate — a partner
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mate — to breed

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