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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wound — an injury
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stem — to come from
  8. wax — to grow
  9. staff — employees
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — a gift
  12. firm — steady
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. hand — help
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — a company
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. present — there
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. hand — in cards
  24. branch — a division

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