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: racket · branch · face · hide · pitcher · press · tube · roll

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. roll — a cake
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. branch — a division
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. tube — a container
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. face — to point toward
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. face — part of the head
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. tube — the underground
  17. press — a publisher
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. face — to confront
  20. roll — a list
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. racket — for tennis

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