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

Word bank: ruler · rule · tube · content · branch · perch · plane · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. plane — a tool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rule — government
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. tube — a container
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rule — a law
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. branch — a division
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. content — the amount
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. content — happy
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. tube — the underground
  24. content — videos and posts

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