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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. current — happening now
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. current — electric
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. snap — to click
  16. spell — magic
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. current — of water
  20. wake — a trail
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. branch — a division
  24. stand — to bear

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