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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — a container
  4. can — to be able to
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chair — a leader
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. can — a tin
  9. suit — clothes
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. tube — the underground
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. can — a tin
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. suit — to fit
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer

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