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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. saw — the tool
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. deal — to handle
  8. key — in music
  9. court — of a king
  10. tube — a container
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — government
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a music group
  15. key — for a lock
  16. court — for sport
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rush — hurry
  19. court — of law
  20. tube — the underground
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. key — the most important part

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