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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fork — in a road
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. swing — in golf
  9. branch — a division
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. perch — the fish
  13. saw — the tool
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. swing — music
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. perch — for a bird

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