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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. branch — a division
  4. cap — of ice
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. cap — a lid
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. prune — to trim
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. track — a path
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. track — a song
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. cap — a hat
  19. toast — bread
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. track — to keep track
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. straw — a straw man

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