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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bear — the animal
  4. branch — a division
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. chair — a leader
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. key — for a lock
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. saw — the tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bear — the animal

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