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 120 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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bank — for money
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bank — of a river
  7. net — after costs
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. net — for catching
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bank — for money
  13. stem — to come from
  14. root — the cause
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cell — in biology
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. root — of a plant
  21. net — in sport
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. cell — a phone
  24. root — of a word

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