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 120 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: rush · snap · bass · branch · bank · leaves · patient · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bank — for money
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bass — the fish
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rush — hurry
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bass — low music
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. snap — to click
  22. branch — a division
  23. bank — for money
  24. branch — of a bank

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