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: branch · mouse · drill · ground · tube · jam · cap · current

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. current — happening now
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. tube — a container
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. current — electric
  8. drill — army training
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. ground — a position
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. ground — crushed
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cap — a lid
  16. ground — the earth
  17. drill — the tool
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. current — of water
  20. cap — a hat
  21. drill — a practice
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. branch — a division

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