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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. kick — in football
  10. file — a document
  11. stem — to come from
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. face — to confront
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. file — a tool
  20. face — part of the head
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. branch — a division
  24. file — a line of people

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