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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mate — a friend
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mate — to breed
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. net — after costs
  9. mate — a partner
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. net — in sport
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. net — for catching
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. perch — the fish
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bound — obliged
  22. branch — a division
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — tied together

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