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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mark — a trace
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. roll — a list
  10. plane — a tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. mark — a grade
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. perch — the fish
  20. roll — a cake
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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