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: fork · rock · mug · branch · tube · chip · wax · pop

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. rock — a stone
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pop — soda
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. branch — a division
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pop — music
  15. tube — a container
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pop — to visit
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. chip — to eat
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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