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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. hand — help
  3. suit — clothes
  4. file — a line of people
  5. charge — in control
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. hand — in cards
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. wound — an injury
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. file — a tool
  12. content — the amount
  13. suit — to fit
  14. charge — a price
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. charge — electricity
  17. content — happy
  18. file — a document
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. suit — in cards
  24. hand — part of the body

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