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: clip · rush · mug · branch · stand · kick · tube · scale

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. tube — a container
  4. mug — a face
  5. stand — to bear
  6. kick — in football
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. clip — a video
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. tube — the underground
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rush — hurry
  17. scale — in music
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. clip — for paper
  20. mug — to rob
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. clip — to cut
  24. stand — on your feet

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