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: branch · dip · fan · wake · stem · mug · firm · squash

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mug — a cup
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. squash — to crush
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stem — to come from
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. mug — to rob
  13. squash — the sport
  14. wake — a trail
  15. branch — a division
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. dip — to sink
  18. firm — steady
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. mug — a face

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