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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bark — to shout
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stem — to come from
  6. object — a thing
  7. branch — a division
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. row — a line
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. object — to protest
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rock — music
  16. object — an aim
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. chip — to eat
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. mine — for digging

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