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: branch · bulb · chair · current · dip · stem · pound · jam

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — to come from
  4. current — happening now
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. dip — to sink
  9. current — of water
  10. branch — a division
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. current — electric
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. pound — a weight
  24. branch — of a tree

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