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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — a box
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. firm — decided
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bank — for money
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a lid
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stem — to come from
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — a division
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. firm — a company
  18. ball — a dance
  19. perch — the fish
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. firm — steady

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