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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stock — goods
  14. mate — a friend
  15. stock — shares
  16. branch — a division
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. kid — child
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. kid — to tease
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ruler — for measuring

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