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 · branch · sharp · chest · ball · pop · deal · mug

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. mug — a cup
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mug — to rob
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. tube — the underground
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mug — a face
  10. chest — a box
  11. tube — a container
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. sharp — clever
  15. pop — music
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. chest — of your body
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pop — soda
  20. chest — of your body
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. branch — a division
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pop — to visit

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