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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. deal — to handle
  3. perch — the fish
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a document
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. file — a line of people
  8. press — a publisher
  9. cell — a phone
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. tube — a container
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. press — to push
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. press — newspapers
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bulb — for light
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cell — in biology
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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