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: tube · bay · swing · rush · branch · court · pass · mug

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. swing — music
  4. mug — to rob
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. court — for sport
  10. mug — a face
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. court — of a king
  16. tube — the underground
  17. swing — to play on
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. court — of law
  24. swing — in golf

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