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 120 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. object — a thing
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. face — part of the head
  8. deal — to handle
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stem — to come from
  11. branch — a division
  12. capital — a city
  13. face — to confront
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. face — to point toward
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. foot — a measure
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. capital — money
  24. foot — part of the body

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