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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bank — for money
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. land — ground
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. clip — to cut
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. clip — a video
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. clip — for paper
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wind — moving air
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. wind — moving air

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