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 116 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: lash · branch · leaves · cap · root · stem · march · current

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. current — happening now
  4. cap — a hat
  5. root — of a plant
  6. march — the month
  7. current — electric
  8. cap — a lid
  9. stem — to come from
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. march — the month
  15. current — of water
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. march — music
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. root — of a word
  22. branch — a division
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. root — the cause

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