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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bound — certain
  3. squash — the sport
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pop — music
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — to crush
  10. branch — a division
  11. bulb — for light
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. tube — a container
  14. pop — soda
  15. bound — tied together
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bound — obliged
  19. kid — child
  20. tube — the underground
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. pop — to visit
  23. kid — to tease
  24. branch — of a tree

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