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 · chip · craft · arm · rush · bank · perch · pitcher

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rush — hurry
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bank — for money
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. craft — boats
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. perch — the fish
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bank — for money
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. craft — a skill
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — to eat
  24. branch — a division

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