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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. track — a song
  3. roll — a list
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. branch — a division
  6. kick — in football
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. track — a path
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. track — to keep track
  21. date — the fruit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. deal — to handle
  24. roll — a cake

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