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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rock — a stone
  3. root — the cause
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rock — music
  12. cue — a hint
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. object — to protest
  15. root — of a word
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. cue — a signal
  18. object — a thing
  19. branch — a division
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. cue — for pool
  23. sharp — clever
  24. patient — a sick person

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