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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. kick — in football
  7. lie — to recline
  8. ground — a position
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ground — crushed
  14. firm — a company
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. field — for sport
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. field — farmland
  21. field — a subject
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. kick — a thrill

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