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 116 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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. spell — letters
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. root — the cause
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. land — a country
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spell — magic
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. spell — a short time
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mate — to breed
  16. land — to come down
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. root — of a plant
  20. land — ground
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rush — hurry
  23. root — of a word
  24. branch — a division

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