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: branch · wave · perch · tear · bass · hide · root · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. branch — a division
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. root — the cause
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bound — certain
  13. root — of a word
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. tear — from crying
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bass — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — low music

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