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: game · ball · hide · branch · kid · perch · suit · last

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. kid — to tease
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. last — final
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — a match
  11. branch — a division
  12. suit — to fit
  13. kid — child
  14. ball — a great time
  15. last — to go on
  16. suit — in cards
  17. perch — the fish
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. last — finally
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. game — wild animals
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. suit — clothes

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