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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. field — a subject
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. charge — a price
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. march — the month
  9. bulb — for light
  10. march — the month
  11. charge — in control
  12. branch — a division
  13. bulb — for light
  14. scale — in music
  15. lean — to bend
  16. march — music
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. field — for sport
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. charge — electricity
  23. field — farmland
  24. scale — size or range

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