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: face · perch · branch · pitcher · key · fine · ground · hide

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. face — part of the head
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. face — to confront
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. key — for a lock
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ground — crushed
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. key — in music
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. branch — a division
  21. perch — the fish
  22. key — the most important part
  23. fine — all right
  24. hide — to keep secret

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