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: cue · shower · present · branch · bulb · degree · can · bore

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. can — a tin
  4. bulb — for light
  5. branch — a division
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. can — a tin
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bore — to drill
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. present — there
  12. present — the time now
  13. degree — an amount
  14. cue — for pool
  15. degree — temperature
  16. present — a gift
  17. shower — rain
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bore — to tire
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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