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 120 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. scale — size or range
  3. drill — a practice
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. branch — a division
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — in music
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. staff — a stick
  18. drill — army training
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. staff — employees
  23. stem — to come from
  24. drill — 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