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: branch · stand · patient · temple · root · lean · game · dip

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. stand — to bear
  3. game — a match
  4. root — of a word
  5. branch — a division
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. lean — to bend
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. root — of a plant
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. dip — to sink
  12. game — wild animals
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. lean — thin
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. root — the cause
  24. branch — of a bank

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