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: field · bear · bank · hide · kick · stand · patient · date

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bear — the animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — farmland
  9. kick — in football
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bank — for money
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. field — for sport
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bank — for money
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. kick — with a leg

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