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: lie · stem · bank · net · file · dip · squash · trunk

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. squash — to crush
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. squash — the sport
  7. lie — to recline
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — after costs
  10. stem — to come from
  11. net — for catching
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bank — for money
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. file — a document
  21. bank — for money
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. dip — to sink

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