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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bound — tied together
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. chest — of your body
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bound — certain
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. spring — of water
  15. tube — a container
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bound — obliged
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. chip — for betting
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. spring — the season

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