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: kick · tube · bay · pop · straw · fan · ball · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. tube — the underground
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. kick — in football
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. branch — a division
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pop — music
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pop — to visit
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. tube — a container
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pop — soda
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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