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: toast · cabinet · safe · plane · patient · branch · stand · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  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. fall — to drop
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stand — to bear
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — bread
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  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