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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. tube — the underground
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rash — hasty
  6. vault — a safe
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. drill — army training
  9. branch — a division
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. drill — a practice
  15. mark — a trace
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. mark — a grade
  18. tube — a container
  19. rash — a series
  20. drill — the tool
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. season — of the year
  23. ball — a great time
  24. season — in sport

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