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: hide · jam · patient · plane · fan · branch · squash · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. squash — the sport
  3. hand — help
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. plane — a tool
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. hand — in cards
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. squash — to crush
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. branch — a division
  24. hide — to keep secret

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