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: stand · branch · pass · rash · tube · present · kick · staff

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rash — a series
  5. pass — a permit
  6. kick — in football
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. present — a gift
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. stand — to bear
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — a division
  20. tube — the underground
  21. present — the time now
  22. rash — hasty
  23. present — there
  24. staff — a stick

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