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: content · branch · row · bound · root · snap · spell · tube

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bound — obliged
  4. content — happy
  5. bound — tied together
  6. row — a line
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. spell — letters
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. spell — a short time
  11. branch — a division
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. root — the cause
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. root — of a word
  17. row — to paddle
  18. spell — magic
  19. bound — certain
  20. root — of a plant
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. content — the amount
  23. snap — to click
  24. tube — in a tire

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