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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mate — a partner
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. scale — size or range
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. scale — in music
  12. mate — a friend
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pop — soda
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mate — to breed
  18. face — to point toward
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. stand — to bear
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. branch — a division

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