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: scale · stand · lean · fine · foot · mouse · branch · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fine — all right
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fine — high quality
  11. scale — size or range
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lean — thin
  15. foot — a measure
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. scale — in music
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. lean — to rest against

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