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: kid · ruler · toast · root · shower · tube · branch · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. branch — a division
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — rain
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. dip — to sink
  9. root — of a plant
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. root — the cause
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. kid — to tease
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. root — of a word
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. shower — to wash
  22. kid — child
  23. tube — a container
  24. toast — bread

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