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: spell · branch · vault · patient · scale · temple · leaves · shower

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. shower — to wash
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. vault — a safe
  7. scale — size or range
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. scale — in music
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. spell — letters
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. branch — a division
  15. shower — rain
  16. spell — a short time
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. spell — magic
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. leaves — to go away

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