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: coach · press · branch · season · tube · prune · patient · mark

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. branch — a division
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. prune — to trim
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. prune — to trim
  11. season — of the year
  12. mark — a grade
  13. press — newspapers
  14. tube — a container
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. tube — the underground
  17. press — to push
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. press — a publisher
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. season — in sport
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — to pay attention

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