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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. ground — crushed
  3. wound — an injury
  4. ground — a position
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. perch — the fish
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. key — the most important part
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fine — all right
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. key — in music
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ground — the earth
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wound — an injury

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