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 120 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: row · fan · tube · coach · perch · branch · stick · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. suit — to fit
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — a container
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. perch — the fish
  10. suit — clothes
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. row — a line
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. row — to paddle
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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