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: tube · mate · branch · fork · arm · cabinet · fall · hand

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. tube — the underground
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mate — to breed
  6. fall — the season
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fall — to drop
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mate — a partner
  11. hand — help
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. hand — in cards
  16. fork — in a road
  17. branch — a division
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fall — to drop
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mate — a friend
  24. cabinet — ministers

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