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 · suit · spring · cold · bowl · tube · rock · jam

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. tube — a container
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. spring — the season
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. spring — of water
  15. rock — a stone
  16. tube — the underground
  17. cold — an illness
  18. suit — to fit
  19. branch — a division
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rock — music
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. spring — a coil
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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