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: stem · bore · branch · firm · deal · craft · bark · root

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bore — to tire
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. root — of a word
  12. branch — a division
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bark — to shout
  16. firm — decided
  17. root — of a plant
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. firm — a company
  21. root — the cause
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. deal — to handle

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