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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — a practice
  8. scale — in music
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bore — to tire
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rule — government
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. branch — a division
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. scale — size or range
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bore — to drill
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. wound — an injury
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wound — an injury

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