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: patient · branch · row · snap · hide · racket · bay · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. row — to paddle
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. snap — to click
  15. row — a line
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. cap — a hat
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. row — a quarrel

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