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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bound — certain
  3. craft — boats
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fall — to drop
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. fall — the season
  12. branch — a division
  13. root — of a word
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. race — a contest
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bound — tied together
  18. race — the arms race
  19. craft — a skill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. root — the cause
  22. bound — obliged
  23. race — humankind
  24. branch — of a tree

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