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: file · face · perch · bay · spring · branch · arm · game

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. file — a tool
  4. face — to confront
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. game — a match
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. face — part of the head
  12. spring — the season
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. spring — of water
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. spring — a coil
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. perch — the fish
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. file — a line of people
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. game — wild animals
  24. arm — a part of something

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