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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. dip — to sink
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. branch — a division
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wind — moving air
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to click
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mug — a face
  17. stem — to come from
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mug — to rob
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mug — a cup
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stem — a stem cell

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