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: bear · sharp · bank · board · stem · dip · mark · kick

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. board — a committee
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bank — of a river
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. board — to get on
  20. sharp — clever
  21. kick — in football
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. sharp — exactly

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