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 · scale · temple · hand · bound · lean · ball · chair

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. hand — help
  4. lean — to bend
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. scale — size or range
  13. chair — a leader
  14. hand — in cards
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. ball — a great time
  17. scale — in music
  18. bound — tied together
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — thin
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ball — a dance
  23. branch — a division
  24. chair — a professorship

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