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: key · shower · branch · patient · arm · charge · band · hide

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — electricity
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — in music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a ring
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. shower — to wash
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. key — the most important part
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. branch — a division
  24. key — for a lock

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