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: stand · shower · rule · branch · pit · perch · firm · nail

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. firm — a company
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. firm — steady
  6. stand — to bear
  7. shower — rain
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — to wash
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. firm — decided
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pit — a hole
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pit — in a race
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. rule — a law

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