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 120 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: bank · cell · face · lie · degree · root · staff · prune

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bank — of a river
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bank — for money
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bank — for money
  12. face — part of the head
  13. degree — an amount
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. face — to confront
  16. degree — from a university
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. cell — in biology
  19. face — to point toward
  20. cell — a phone
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lie — an untruth

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