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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. tube — a container
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pop — soda
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bank — for money
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bore — to drill
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bank — of a river
  15. branch — a division
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bank — for money
  18. face — to point toward
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. face — part of the head
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bore — to tire
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. face — to confront

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