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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · arm · branch · scale · date · patient · bound · stand

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. scale — in music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bound — tied together
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. branch — a division
  12. bass — the fish
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bound — obliged
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bass — low music
  19. date — the fruit
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bound — certain
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. stand — to bear

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