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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. tear — from crying
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. branch — a division
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rock — music
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. tear — to rip
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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