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 124 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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. cue — a signal
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. last — to go on
  15. bank — for money
  16. chip — for betting
  17. last — finally
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. last — final
  21. stem — to come from
  22. cue — a hint
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. tube — a container

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