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: perch · present · mark · branch · pitch · wake · chest · ruler

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. perch — the fish
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chest — a box
  7. present — the time now
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wake — a trail
  12. present — there
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. branch — a division
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pitch — completely
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. perch — for a bird

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