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: coach · bulb · cabinet · club · last · lash · root · branch

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. branch — a division
  6. root — of a word
  7. bulb — for light
  8. club — for golf
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. last — finally
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. club — a group
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. root — of a plant
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. last — final
  22. club — for dancing
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. root — the cause

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