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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wound — an injury
  5. tear — from crying
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. file — a document
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. file — a tool
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. perch — the fish
  18. wound — an injury
  19. toast — bread
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. file — a line of people
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bank — for money

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