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: jam · mine · bowl · charge · tube · dip · branch · foot

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. dip — to sink
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. branch — a division
  19. charge — electricity
  20. tube — a container
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bowl — a football final

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