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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. branch — a division
  3. board — a committee
  4. charge — in control
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. charge — electricity
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. shower — to wash
  11. charge — a price
  12. wound — an injury
  13. root — of a plant
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. craft — boats
  16. foot — a measure
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. board — to get on
  20. wound — an injury
  21. root — of a word
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. shower — rain

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