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: hide · cap · saw · plane · branch · perch · track · fan

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cap — a hat
  3. track — a path
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. track — to keep track
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cap — of ice
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. track — a song
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. branch — a division
  17. cap — a lid
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. hide — animal skin

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