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: board · branch · stem · ground · lash · bound · spell · rock

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bound — tied together
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. branch — a division
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rock — a stone
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. board — to get on
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — a position
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. board — a committee
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bound — obliged
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. rock — music
  24. board — a flat piece

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