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: coach · rule · safe · branch · net · face · mark · perch

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rule — a law
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mark — a grade
  6. face — part of the head
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. face — to point toward
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. face — to confront
  15. net — after costs
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — in sport
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. branch — a division
  21. rule — government
  22. perch — the fish
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mark — a trace

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