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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stand — to bear
  4. key — in music
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. object — a thing
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. present — a gift
  15. key — the most important part
  16. branch — a division
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. present — the time now
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. patient — a sick person

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