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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. drill — army training
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bound — certain
  8. drill — a practice
  9. track — a path
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. band — a ring
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bound — tied together
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. drill — the tool
  19. band — a music group
  20. track — a song
  21. bound — obliged
  22. track — to keep track
  23. branch — a division
  24. patient — a sick person

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