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 120 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. spring — of water
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. face — to confront
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mug — to rob
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bulb — for light
  19. spring — the season
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. face — to point toward
  22. spring — a coil
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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