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: bank · can · band · chest · mark · patient · branch · plane

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bank — for money
  4. band — a music group
  5. branch — a division
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mark — a trace
  9. chest — a box
  10. bank — for money
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. chest — of your body
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. chest — of your body
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mark — a grade
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bank — of a river
  24. band — a ring

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