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 120 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: dip · bound · present · branch · ball · stem · degree · cabinet

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. dip — to sink
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. degree — from a university
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bound — tied together
  11. ball — a great time
  12. present — the time now
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. degree — an amount
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. branch — a division
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bound — certain
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bound — obliged
  23. degree — temperature
  24. ball — a dance

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