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: staff · perch · ruler · straw · branch · rest · clip · kid

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. staff — a stick
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rest — what's left
  11. branch — a division
  12. kid — child
  13. staff — employees
  14. clip — for paper
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. staff — employees
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. clip — to cut
  22. kid — to tease
  23. clip — a video
  24. perch — the fish

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