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: stick · shower · branch · jam · scale · leaves · rash · mine

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. scale — in music
  7. shower — to wash
  8. rash — hasty
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. branch — a division
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. scale — size or range
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. rash — a series
  24. mine — for digging

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