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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bank — for money
  5. fall — the season
  6. bank — for money
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fall — to drop
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. board — to get on
  11. root — the cause
  12. bat — the animal
  13. branch — a division
  14. board — a committee
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. kick — in football
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. kick — with a leg

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