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 120 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: hide · deal · cap · branch · current · stem · lie · spring

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. spring — the season
  3. cap — of ice
  4. current — of water
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cap — a lid
  7. spring — of water
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. branch — a division
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. stem — to come from
  12. lie — to recline
  13. spring — a coil
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. current — happening now
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. deal — to handle
  20. current — electric
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. cap — a hat

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