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: bore · bulb · wake · mine · root · pound · branch · patient

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. branch — a division
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. wake — a trail
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bore — to tire
  14. root — the cause
  15. pound — a weight
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mine — for digging
  24. pound — for dogs

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