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: vault · perch · mine · branch · sharp · last · hide · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. last — to go on
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. suit — clothes
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. last — finally
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. branch — a division
  15. sharp — clever
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. last — final
  18. perch — the fish
  19. suit — in cards
  20. vault — a safe
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — for digging
  24. hide — to keep secret

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