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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. prune — to trim
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bore — to tire
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. branch — a division
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bore — to drill
  24. lash — to lash out

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