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: race · dip · branch · charge · leaves · stock · patient · prune

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. prune — to trim
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. charge — a price
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stock — goods
  10. dip — to sink
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. prune — to trim
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — humankind
  17. charge — electricity
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. race — a contest
  20. stock — shares
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. branch — a division
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. leaves — lets stay

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