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 · stem · cue · current · spring · shower · spell · fork

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. spring — the season
  3. cue — for pool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. shower — rain
  6. branch — a division
  7. stem — to come from
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. current — electric
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. current — happening now
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. spring — a coil
  15. current — of water
  16. spell — magic
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. shower — to wash
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — a short time
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. spring — of water

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