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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. root — the cause
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. key — for a lock
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. wind — moving air
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. vault — a safe
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. key — in music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bark — to shout
  24. wind — moving air

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