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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. last — to go on
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. last — finally
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. spell — letters
  15. perch — the fish
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. last — final
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. spell — a short time
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. spell — magic

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