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 120 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: row · spring · nail · tube · spell · mate · bowl · branch

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  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. tube — a container
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. spring — of water
  4. spell — letters
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. spell — a short time
  8. mate — a friend
  9. spring — a coil
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mate — a partner
  13. row — to paddle
  14. spring — the season
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. spell — magic
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. row — a line
  22. branch — a division
  23. mate — to breed
  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