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: track · spring · lean · wound · branch · board · lie · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. spring — of water
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. board — a committee
  7. track — a path
  8. lean — to bend
  9. board — to get on
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lie — to recline
  14. scale — size or range
  15. lean — thin
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. spring — a coil
  19. wound — an injury
  20. track — to keep track
  21. wound — an injury
  22. spring — the season
  23. track — a song
  24. branch — a division

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