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: stem · bulb · bank · arm · lie · drill · fork · court

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. drill — army training
  3. stem — to come from
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. court — of a king
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. court — for sport
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bank — for money
  18. drill — the tool
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. drill — a practice
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. court — of law

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