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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ball — a dance
  3. clip — to cut
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. can — to be able to
  6. ball — a great time
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. fork — in a road
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — a video
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. can — a tin
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stem — to come from
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. deal — to handle
  23. branch — a division
  24. fork — a garden tool

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