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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. drill — army training
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. tube — a container
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. tube — the underground
  8. charge — electricity
  9. drill — the tool
  10. charge — in control
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. drill — a practice
  13. hand — in cards
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. season — in sport
  16. charge — a price
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. kick — in football
  20. hand — help
  21. season — of the year
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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