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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. staff — employees
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. scale — in music
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. staff — employees
  20. branch — a division
  21. perch — the fish
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bowl — to roll

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