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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. prune — to trim
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bound — certain
  9. branch — a division
  10. bank — for money
  11. bound — tied together
  12. toast — bread
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. degree — from a university
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bound — obliged
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bank — for money
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fine — all right
  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