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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. prune — to trim
  3. branch — a division
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cell — a phone
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wind — moving air
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bound — tied together
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bound — certain
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. shower — to wash

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