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: lash · branch · stem · rule · file · cap · deal · face

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cap — a lid
  3. deal — to handle
  4. stem — to come from
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. cap — of ice
  7. rule — government
  8. file — a document
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. file — a line of people
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. branch — a division
  15. file — a tool
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. face — to confront
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rule — a law
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. cap — a hat

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