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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. root — of a plant
  3. craft — a skill
  4. scale — in music
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. date — the fruit
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. content — happy
  11. wound — an injury
  12. scale — size or range
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. craft — boats
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. root — of a word
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. root — the cause
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. content — the amount

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