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: temple · branch · calf · straw · rock · roll · patient · saw

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. roll — a list
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. branch — a division
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rock — a stone
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. roll — a cake
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. saw — the tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. rock — music
  24. calf — of the 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