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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. last — to go on
  3. net — after costs
  4. bore — to drill
  5. tube — the underground
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. last — finally
  10. tube — a container
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. net — in sport
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. last — final
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bore — to tire
  18. sharp — clever
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. racket — a loud noise

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