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: ball · cold · charge · can · tube · lie · pound · branch

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. branch — a division
  3. pound — a weight
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. charge — a price
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. ball — a dance
  9. can — a tin
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. cold — an illness
  12. tube — the underground
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. charge — electricity
  15. ball — a great time
  16. can — to be able to
  17. tube — a container
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. lie — to recline
  20. can — a tin
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cold — not warm
  24. charge — in control

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