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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. race — humankind
  5. tube — a container
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. race — a contest
  8. toast — bread
  9. charge — electricity
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. charge — a price
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. tube — the underground
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. race — the arms race
  22. lean — to bend
  23. charge — in control
  24. lean — thin

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