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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — to visit
  3. present — there
  4. cap — a hat
  5. branch — a division
  6. present — a gift
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. present — the time now
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cap — a lid
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. firm — a company
  16. dip — to sink
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. cap — of ice
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pop — music
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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