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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. branch — a division
  3. plane — a tool
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. row — to paddle
  10. spring — of water
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. charge — in control
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. spring — the season
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. charge — electricity
  19. dip — to sink
  20. charge — a price
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. row — a line
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. branch — of a bank

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