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: ruler · branch · cap · cell · root · lash · land · tear

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. root — of a plant
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cap — a hat
  5. land — to come down
  6. root — of a word
  7. tear — to rip
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. root — the cause
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cap — of ice
  14. land — a country
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. land — ground
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cell — in biology
  20. tear — from crying
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cap — a lid
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. lash — an eyelash

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