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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hand — help
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. firm — a company
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. hand — in cards
  11. swing — in golf
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. kick — in football
  16. firm — steady
  17. field — a subject
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. field — farmland
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. firm — decided
  22. field — for sport
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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