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: object · current · chest · patient · pit · bay · prune · bank

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. chest — a box
  3. current — of water
  4. bank — of a river
  5. object — to protest
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. chest — of your body
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. object — an aim
  10. current — electric
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. chest — of your body
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bank — for money
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. object — a thing
  23. bank — for money
  24. current — happening now

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