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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bark — to shout
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. stock — goods
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. branch — a division
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — ground
  22. wind — moving air
  23. land — a country
  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