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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. tube — a container
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. can — a tin
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. can — to be able to
  18. plane — a tool
  19. perch — the fish
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. can — a tin
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bat — the animal

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