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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. tube — a container
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. face — to confront
  6. tube — the underground
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. branch — a division
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — a line
  18. face — part of the head
  19. shower — to wash
  20. face — to point toward
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bear — the animal
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. shower — rain

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