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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. degree — from a university
  3. bore — to drill
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bore — to tire
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. degree — temperature
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wake — a trail
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. perch — the fish
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. trunk — of a car

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