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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. tube — a container
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. mug — a cup
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. file — a tool
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mug — a face
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. file — a line of people
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. file — a document
  24. mug — to rob

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