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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. band — a ring
  3. scale — size or range
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lean — thin
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. roll — a list
  10. charge — a price
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. scale — in music
  14. lean — to bend
  15. branch — a division
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. charge — in control
  19. bore — to drill
  20. band — a music group
  21. bore — to tire
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. scale — for weighing

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