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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. branch — a division
  10. fall — the season
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wax — in the ear

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