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 · cabinet · rash · face · rule · kid · wax · perch

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rule — government
  3. kid — child
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. wax — to grow
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. kid — to tease
  10. rash — a series
  11. branch — a division
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. perch — the fish
  14. rash — hasty
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. face — to confront
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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