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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. tear — from crying
  4. hand — in cards
  5. pass — a permit
  6. file — a line of people
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. branch — a division
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. current — electric
  14. current — happening now
  15. file — a tool
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. file — a document
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. current — of water
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. hand — help

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