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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. deal — to handle
  5. land — ground
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. content — the amount
  8. land — to come down
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — of the year
  11. content — happy
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. land — a country
  24. deal — a big deal

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