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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. root — of a word
  5. chest — of your body
  6. face — part of the head
  7. root — of a plant
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. chest — a box
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. root — the cause
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wax — to grow
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. branch — a division
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. chest — of your 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