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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. ground — crushed
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bank — for money
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. tube — the underground
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ground — the earth
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bank — of a river
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bank — for money
  14. ground — a position
  15. drill — the tool
  16. charge — electricity
  17. drill — a practice
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — in control
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. drill — army training
  24. ball — a great time

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