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 120 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: wax · ruler · cabinet · file · tear · branch · mine · perch

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. file — a tool
  4. file — a document
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. branch — a division
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. tear — to rip
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. perch — the fish
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cabinet — ministers

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