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: band · perch · calf · drill · club · patient · hide · scale

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. band — a music group
  5. drill — the tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. band — a ring
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. club — for golf
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. club — for dancing
  13. drill — a practice
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. drill — army training
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. scale — in music
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. club — a group
  24. perch — the fish

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