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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. branch — a division
  3. present — the time now
  4. capital — money
  5. root — of a plant
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. net — after costs
  8. root — of a word
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. present — a gift
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. pass — a permit
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. present — there
  19. root — the cause
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. capital — a city
  22. net — in sport
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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