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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cue — for pool
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. cue — a signal
  6. swing — to play on
  7. charge — a price
  8. cue — a hint
  9. swing — music
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. craft — boats
  12. fork — in a road
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. swing — in golf
  17. charge — in control
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. tube — the underground
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. spring — a coil
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. tube — a container
  24. spring — the season

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