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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. game — wild animals
  5. spell — magic
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. tube — a container
  9. bound — tied together
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bound — certain
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. spell — a short time
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bound — obliged
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. charge — in control
  19. game — a match
  20. prune — to trim
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. branch — a division
  23. spell — letters
  24. charge — electricity

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