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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. branch — a division
  8. rock — music
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. foot — a measure
  11. scale — in music
  12. lean — thin
  13. can — a tin
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. drill — the tool
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rock — a stone
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — a practice
  24. branch — of a tree

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