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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. prune — to trim
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rush — hurry
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bank — for money
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bank — for money
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. lie — an untruth

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