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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. board — to get on
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. current — electric
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — of water
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — rain
  15. kid — child
  16. board — a committee
  17. branch — a division
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. kid — to tease
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — certain

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