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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. suit — clothes
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. suit — to fit
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. game — wild animals
  10. tube — a container
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. game — a match
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. suit — in cards
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. tube — the underground
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the sport
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. hide — to keep secret

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