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: branch · rush · fork · wound · drill · patient · cue · bound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. drill — the tool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bound — tied together
  5. drill — a practice
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rush — hurry
  9. branch — a division
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cue — a signal
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. cue — for pool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. drill — army training
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. wound — an injury

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