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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. tear — to rip
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. chair — a leader
  7. mark — a trace
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. tear — from crying
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. branch — a division
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. root — of a word
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a plant
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. tear — from crying
  24. leaves — lets stay

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