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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. shower — rain
  3. field — for sport
  4. key — the most important part
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. shower — to wash
  7. charge — in control
  8. tube — the underground
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. field — a subject
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. field — farmland
  15. tube — a container
  16. charge — electricity
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. charge — a price
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fan — a supporter

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