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: object · scale · patient · drill · craft · roll · band · board

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. board — a committee
  3. object — an aim
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. scale — in music
  6. drill — army training
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. craft — a skill
  11. object — to protest
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. band — a ring
  16. craft — boats
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. roll — a list
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. board — to get on
  22. roll — a cake
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. object — a thing

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