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 120 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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stem — to come from
  4. can — a tin
  5. content — the amount
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. content — happy
  10. can — to be able to
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rock — music
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. branch — a division
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. can — a tin
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stem — of a plant

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