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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. chip — for betting
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. tube — a container
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. band — a music group
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. band — a ring
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — the season
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. vault — a safe
  19. tube — the underground
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. rest — what's left
  22. chip — to eat
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. branch — a division

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