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 took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. cap — of ice
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mug — a face
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. mug — to rob
  11. fall — the season
  12. cap — a lid
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cap — a hat
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — to shout

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