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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. pitch — completely
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. root — the cause
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. tube — a container
  9. bank — of a river
  10. club — for golf
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. root — of a word
  15. bank — for money
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bank — for money
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. club — for dancing
  23. root — of a plant
  24. club — a group

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