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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pass — a permit
  5. object — a thing
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wind — moving air
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. object — an aim
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mark — a trace
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. kick — in football
  19. vault — a safe
  20. object — to protest
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wind — moving air
  24. tube — a container

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