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

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. race — the arms race
  4. content — the amount
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. tube — a container
  8. content — happy
  9. bore — to drill
  10. race — a contest
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bore — to 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