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 116 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. net — in sport
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bore — to tire
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. tube — a container
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. net — for catching
  17. cue — for pool
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bore — to drill
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. net — after costs
  22. cue — a signal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mouse — 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