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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. track — a song
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pitch — completely
  12. tube — the underground
  13. track — a path
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. fine — all right
  19. tube — a container
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. sharp — clever
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fine — high quality
  24. track — to keep track

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