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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · root · wind · arm · pass · branch · content · lie

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wind — moving air
  3. root — of a plant
  4. lie — to recline
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. branch — a division
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. content — happy
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. wind — moving air
  11. root — the cause
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. content — the amount
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. root — of a word
  20. pass — a permit
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wind — to turn a key

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