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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. branch — a division
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. pit — in a race
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. clip — for paper
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. track — a song
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pit — a hole
  15. content — happy
  16. clip — to cut
  17. track — to keep track
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. track — a path
  21. clip — a video
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. content — the amount

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