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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: perch · calf · saw · row · ruler · cabinet · branch · date

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. saw — the tool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. branch — a division
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. row — a line
  16. row — to paddle
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. saw — the tool
  21. perch — the fish
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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