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: spring · branch · jam · last · stick · fork · lie · stem

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. lie — to recline
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. spring — a coil
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stem — to come from
  12. branch — a division
  13. spring — of water
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. last — final
  17. spring — the season
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. last — finally
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — in a road

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