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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rash — a series
  6. tube — the underground
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. rash — hasty
  10. branch — a division
  11. tube — a container
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lie — to recline
  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