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 · patient · land · chip · foot · nail · bear · saw

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. foot — part of the body
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. land — to come down
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. branch — a division
  10. chip — to eat
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bear — the animal
  18. land — ground
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. foot — a measure
  21. chip — for betting
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. land — a country
  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