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: rash · spring · branch · wind · tube · safe · mark · stick

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rash — hasty
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. spring — the season
  8. branch — a division
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. spring — a coil
  11. wind — moving air
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tube — a container
  14. rash — a series
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wind — moving air
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mark — a grade
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. spring — of water
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rash — on the skin

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