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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bank — for money
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. press — a publisher
  6. board — to get on
  7. cap — a hat
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cap — of ice
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. press — newspapers
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. branch — a division
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bank — of a river
  16. spell — letters
  17. plane — a tool
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. spell — a short time
  20. board — a committee
  21. spell — magic
  22. press — to push
  23. bank — for money
  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