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: content · rock · patient · board · band · shower · object · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. board — to get on
  3. content — happy
  4. shower — to wash
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. shower — rain
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rock — a stone
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. board — a committee
  14. rock — music
  15. content — the amount
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — in music
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a music group
  20. object — an aim
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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