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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. saw — the tool
  3. present — a gift
  4. tube — the underground
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. tear — to rip
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bank — of a river
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tube — a container
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bank — for money
  18. present — the time now
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. saw — the tool
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bank — for money
  23. present — there
  24. object — to protest

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