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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. row — a line
  3. branch — a division
  4. club — for golf
  5. drill — army training
  6. press — a publisher
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. press — to push
  9. drill — a practice
  10. press — newspapers
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. club — a group
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. club — for dancing
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. row — to paddle
  19. court — of a king
  20. rock — music
  21. drill — the tool
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. court — of law
  24. court — for sport

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