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 116 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 · perch · deal · firm · mug · cabinet · stick · shower

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. shower — rain
  3. mug — a face
  4. perch — the fish
  5. firm — a company
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. mug — a cup
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mug — to rob
  18. firm — decided
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. firm — steady
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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