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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. tube — a container
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. tear — to rip
  9. rash — a series
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. firm — steady
  12. tear — from crying
  13. date — the fruit
  14. firm — decided
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. firm — a company
  20. bat — the animal
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. tube — the underground
  24. date — on the calendar

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