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: cell · hand · fan · tube · drill · mug · branch · bound

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bound — tied together
  3. drill — a practice
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. cell — a phone
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. hand — in cards
  13. drill — army training
  14. mug — a cup
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cell — in biology
  17. mug — a face
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — a division
  21. mug — to rob
  22. drill — the tool
  23. tube — a container
  24. bound — certain

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