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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · saw · wake · branch · tube · craft · charge · bulb

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. race — the arms race
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. charge — a price
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. charge — electricity
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. charge — in control
  14. bulb — for light
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. craft — boats
  17. branch — a division
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. race — a contest
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. saw — the tool
  23. race — humankind
  24. craft — a skill

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