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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. saw — the tool
  3. branch — a division
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. dip — to sink
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. perch — the fish

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