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: calf · spell · perch · chest · last · rush · wound · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. chest — of your body
  4. wound — an injury
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. last — finally
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. last — to go on
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. branch — a division
  13. chest — a box
  14. spell — letters
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. chest — of your body
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. last — final
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. spell — a short time
  22. wound — an injury
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. spell — magic

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