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 120 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: deal · content · last · racket · key · tube · game · branch

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. last — final
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. content — the amount
  6. last — finally
  7. branch — a division
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. tube — a container
  10. key — for a lock
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. key — the most important part
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. key — in music
  19. last — to go on
  20. game — a match
  21. content — happy
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. tube — the underground
  24. racket — for tennis

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