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 · mug · patient · wound · branch · perch · sharp · bay

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mug — to rob
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. branch — a division
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wound — an injury
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — clever
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. firm — steady
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. firm — decided
  19. mug — a face
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. sharp — exactly

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