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: bulb · chest · bay · craft · ball · plane · branch · tube

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chest — of your body
  3. ball — a dance
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. branch — a division
  8. ball — a great time
  9. tube — the underground
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bulb — for light
  13. craft — boats
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bulb — for light
  18. plane — a tool
  19. tube — a container
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. chest — of your body
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. chest — a box

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