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: patient · bank · nail · squash · branch · vault · shower · temple

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. shower — to wash
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. vault — a safe
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — to crush
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. squash — the sport
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. shower — rain
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. branch — a division
  17. bank — of a river
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bank — for money

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