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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — to sink
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — a position
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cell — a phone
  8. ground — the earth
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. stand — to bear
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. cell — in biology
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. branch — a division

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