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 120 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: trunk · firm · branch · wind · perch · spring · nail · charge

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. charge — a price
  3. perch — the fish
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. firm — decided
  6. wind — moving air
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. charge — electricity
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. spring — of water
  13. charge — in control
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. spring — the season
  17. wind — moving air
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. branch — a division
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. spring — a coil
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. branch — of a bank

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