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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mug — a face
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. cap — a hat
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. kick — in football
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. tube — the underground
  20. root — of a word
  21. tube — a container
  22. root — the cause
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mug — to rob

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