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

Word bank: firm · ball · race · straw · tube · lash · branch · track

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. ball — a dance
  4. track — a path
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. race — the arms race
  7. tube — the underground
  8. track — a song
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. firm — a company
  11. tube — a container
  12. firm — decided
  13. race — a contest
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. track — to keep track
  16. firm — steady
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. race — humankind
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. ball — a great time
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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