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 120 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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. branch — a division
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. snap — to click
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mark — a grade
  22. tube — the underground
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. mark — to pay attention

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