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: mark · plane · pit · tube · cue · squash · branch · drill

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. squash — the sport
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. pit — a hole
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. cue — a hint
  13. drill — army training
  14. cue — for pool
  15. plane — a tool
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. pit — in a race
  19. squash — to crush
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — a practice
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — a division

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