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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. file — a document
  3. pop — music
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. chest — a box
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pop — soda
  14. chest — of your body
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pop — to visit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. tube — the underground
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. tube — a container
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wax — in the ear

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