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: jam · perch · chair · wound · present · ground · fall · branch

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. fall — to drop
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. chair — a leader
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. perch — the fish
  14. fall — to drop
  15. present — there
  16. branch — a division
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. fall — the season
  21. present — a gift
  22. ground — crushed
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. present — the time now

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