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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bound — certain
  5. branch — a division
  6. roll — a list
  7. chest — of your body
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. scale — size or range
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bound — obliged
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. chest — of your body
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bound — tied together
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. scale — in music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stem — to come from
  23. chest — a box
  24. bulb — of a plant

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