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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. cue — for pool
  8. branch — a division
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mug — a face
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — happy
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mug — to rob
  16. fine — high quality
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fine — all right

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