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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. charge — electricity
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. charge — a price
  5. press — to push
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. charge — in control
  10. mate — to breed
  11. rock — music
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rock — a stone
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. tube — a container
  18. mate — a partner
  19. press — newspapers
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — the animal
  24. mate — a friend

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