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: cell · press · bore · fan · cabinet · ruler · perch · branch

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bore — to tire
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bore — to drill
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cell — in biology
  17. press — newspapers
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. cell — a phone
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ruler — a monarch

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