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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. board — to get on
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bark — to shout
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. branch — a division
  12. march — the month
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. board — a committee
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. march — music
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mate — a friend
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. march — the month
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bark — of a tree

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