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: mouse · pitcher · tube · fan · foot · face · branch · rash

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. face — to point toward
  4. tube — a container
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. tube — the underground
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. foot — a measure
  13. branch — a division
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. face — to confront
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rash — a series
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rash — hasty
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. face — part of the head

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