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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cap — of ice
  4. game — wild animals
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. face — part of the head
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. ball — a great time
  10. cap — a lid
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. stem — to come from
  14. kick — in football
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. cap — a hat
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. ball — a dance
  24. kick — a thrill

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