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 · cabinet · race · bark · staff · stem · fan · press

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. stem — to come from
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. staff — employees
  5. bark — to shout
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. press — newspapers
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. press — to push
  11. race — a contest
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. race — the arms race
  22. press — a publisher
  23. branch — a division
  24. cabinet — ministers

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