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: branch · patient · lean · scale · band · leaves · cabinet · drill

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. lean — to bend
  4. band — a music group
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lean — thin
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. drill — a practice
  23. scale — in music
  24. cabinet — ministers

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