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: dip · staff · branch · bulb · patient · cap · court · mine

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. branch — a division
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cap — a hat
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — for sport
  13. cap — a lid
  14. court — of law
  15. cap — of ice
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. staff — a stick
  18. dip — to sink
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. mine — for digging
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. dip — to dunk

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