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

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cold — an illness
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rash — hasty
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. staff — employees
  14. fork — in a road
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rest — a break
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. staff — employees
  19. cold — not warm
  20. rash — a series
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. fork — a garden tool

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