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: dip · last · arm · branch · cap · tear · cell · plane

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. tear — from crying
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. tear — to rip
  8. last — final
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. tear — from crying
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cap — a lid
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. last — to go on
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cap — of ice
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — a tool
  21. last — finally
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a bank

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