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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bank — for money
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. stem — to come from
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. root — of a word
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. object — a thing
  10. club — for golf
  11. file — a line of people
  12. club — for dancing
  13. root — of a plant
  14. object — to protest
  15. file — a document
  16. bank — of a river
  17. file — a tool
  18. object — an aim
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pound — a weight
  22. club — a group
  23. bank — for money
  24. root — the cause

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