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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  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. root — of a word
  3. squash — the sport
  4. root — the cause
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cue — a signal
  8. date — the fruit
  9. last — to go on
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mug — a cup
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. tube — a container
  14. mug — a face
  15. last — finally
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mug — to rob
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. root — of a plant
  20. tube — the underground
  21. squash — to crush
  22. cue — for pool
  23. last — final
  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