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: pitcher · bay · branch · tear · temple · content · lie · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. root — the cause
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. root — of a plant
  7. tear — from crying
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. tear — from crying
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. content — the amount
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. tear — to rip
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. content — happy
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. lie — to recline

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