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: branch · wave · perch · hand · bark · racket · fall · vault

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bark — to shout
  3. hand — in cards
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fall — the season
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. hand — help
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. branch — a division
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. vault — a safe
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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