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: fan · file · wound · wind · race · hide · root · branch

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. branch — a division
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a word
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. root — of a plant
  13. race — a contest
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. file — a document
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wind — moving air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wind — moving air
  21. file — a tool
  22. wound — an injury
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. hide — to keep secret

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