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: clip · key · branch · cap · coach · root · lie · fork

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. cap — a lid
  3. lie — to recline
  4. branch — a division
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. key — in music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — of a word
  14. clip — a video
  15. cap — a hat
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — to cut
  18. cap — of ice
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. fork — in a road
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. key — the most important part
  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