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 116 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: bark · branch · mug · mine · patient · saw · safe · chip

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mine — for digging
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. mug — a face
  21. bark — to shout
  22. mug — to rob
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. saw — the tool

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