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 · board · wind · fine · wax · bound · branch · hide

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. branch — a division
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. wind — moving air
  8. fine — all right
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wax — to grow
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bound — certain
  15. wind — moving air
  16. board — to get on
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bound — obliged
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. board — a committee
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bound — tied together

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