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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · patient · mine · bank · root · lie · land · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. firm — a company
  3. bank — for money
  4. firm — steady
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. root — of a plant
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bank — of a river
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. firm — decided
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bank — for money
  23. land — ground
  24. lie — an untruth

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