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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. row — to paddle
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. mine — for digging
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bank — for money
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. season — in sport
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. row — a line
  22. bank — for money
  23. season — of the year
  24. bank — of a river

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