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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. firm — a company
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rock — music
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. branch — a division
  11. bore — to tire
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bore — to drill
  14. firm — decided
  15. date — the fruit
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. tube — the underground
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rock — a stone
  22. firm — steady
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. perch — for a bird

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