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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. current — happening now
  8. board — to get on
  9. current — electric
  10. stem — to come from
  11. degree — from a university
  12. current — of water
  13. degree — an amount
  14. board — a committee
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. degree — temperature
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. board — a flat piece

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