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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bear — the animal
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. net — for catching
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. net — in sport
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. vault — a safe
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. net — after costs
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. dip — to sink
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. tube — a container
  24. mate — a friend

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