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 · mug · branch · arm · wind · cabinet · kid · tube

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. kid — to tease
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. fork — in a road
  7. kid — child
  8. tube — the underground
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. branch — a division
  13. wind — moving air
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mug — to rob
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mug — a face
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. tube — a container
  24. fork — a garden tool

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