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

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. branch — a division
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. craft — a skill
  5. perch — the fish
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lie — to recline
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rest — what's left
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bore — to drill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. track — a song
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rest — a break
  19. track — to keep track
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. track — a path
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. craft — boats

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