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: patient · deal · content · hide · present · branch · lie · bass

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bass — low music
  6. branch — a division
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bass — the fish
  10. present — a gift
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. content — the amount
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. present — there
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. content — happy
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. deal — to handle
  22. lie — to recline
  23. present — the time now
  24. hide — to keep secret

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