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 120 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: cabinet · band · patient · rash · root · stand · lean · object

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. object — an aim
  12. root — of a word
  13. band — a music group
  14. object — a thing
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. object — to protest
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. rash — hasty
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lean — thin

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