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: branch · calf · game · key · bowl · tube · charge · present

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. charge — a price
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. tube — the underground
  6. present — a gift
  7. game — wild animals
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. present — the time now
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. key — the most important part
  13. charge — in control
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. key — in music
  16. present — there
  17. branch — a division
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. charge — electricity
  20. tube — a container
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. key — for a lock

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