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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. root — of a word
  5. lean — to bend
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. court — of law
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. craft — boats
  11. root — of a plant
  12. date — the fruit
  13. court — for sport
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lean — thin
  18. court — of a king
  19. pit — a hole
  20. branch — a division
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pit — in a race
  23. rest — what's left
  24. root — the cause

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