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: straw · branch · pop · ruler · pitcher · patient · foot · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. foot — a measure
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. branch — a division
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pop — music
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. pop — to visit
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pop — soda

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