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: march · bowl · patient · hide · scale · arm · current · chair

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. march — the month
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. current — of water
  8. march — the month
  9. scale — size or range
  10. current — happening now
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. march — music
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. current — electric
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. scale — in music
  24. bowl — to roll

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