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: board · branch · wake · perch · march · cap · object · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. board — to get on
  3. object — an aim
  4. perch — the fish
  5. board — a committee
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wake — a trail
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a lid
  10. march — the month
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. object — to protest
  14. march — music
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. cap — a hat
  19. march — the month
  20. object — a thing
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — a division
  24. suit — in cards

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