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: file · branch · band · perch · deal · track · wound · safe

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. file — a tool
  5. wound — an injury
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. deal — to handle
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. band — a ring
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. track — to keep track
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. track — a song
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. wound — an injury
  19. file — a document
  20. band — a music group
  21. perch — the fish
  22. branch — a division
  23. track — a path
  24. deal — an agreement

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