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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — all right
  5. snap — to click
  6. tube — a container
  7. row — a line
  8. degree — temperature
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. row — to paddle
  14. degree — from a university
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. tube — the underground
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. hand — in cards
  21. degree — an amount
  22. fine — high quality
  23. branch — a division
  24. hand — help

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