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

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. fine — high quality
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. hand — help
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. hand — in cards
  14. row — to paddle
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. row — a line
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cabinet — ministers

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