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: stock · branch · cap · saw · scale · face · perch · wave

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. stock — shares
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stock — goods
  5. cap — a hat
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a lid
  10. scale — size or range
  11. branch — a division
  12. scale — in music
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. face — to point toward

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