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

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. root — of a plant
  3. clip — a video
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ground — the earth
  8. branch — a division
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. root — the cause
  11. band — a ring
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — to cut
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. band — a music group
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. root — of a word
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — crushed
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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