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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. branch — a division
  5. last — to go on
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. craft — boats
  10. last — final
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pound — a weight
  14. wind — moving air
  15. track — a path
  16. craft — a skill
  17. track — to keep track
  18. last — finally
  19. track — a song
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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