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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. root — of a word
  3. spring — the season
  4. rash — a series
  5. row — to paddle
  6. branch — a division
  7. spring — a coil
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. row — a line
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. spring — of water
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rock — music
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — the cause
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. row — a quarrel

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