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 was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. file — a tool
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. saw — the tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. file — a line of people
  10. tube — the underground
  11. cell — in biology
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lean — thin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. saw — the tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. wound — an injury
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. cell — a phone
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. file — a document
  22. lean — to bend
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. tube — a container

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