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 116 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: board · scale · stand · snap · branch · rock · band · ground

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. board — to get on
  3. scale — size or range
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stand — to bear
  10. scale — in music
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — the earth
  16. board — a committee
  17. ground — crushed
  18. branch — a division
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rock — music
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a rubber band
  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