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: tube · present · swing · leaves · branch · rush · vault · game

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. present — there
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. tube — a container
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rush — hurry
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. present — the time now
  11. game — a match
  12. swing — to play on
  13. tube — the underground
  14. swing — music
  15. present — a gift
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. game — wild animals
  18. branch — a division
  19. vault — a safe
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. swing — in golf
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. tube — in a tire

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