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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. tube — a container
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. chip — for betting
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. suit — in cards
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bear — the animal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bear — the animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cell — in biology
  21. chip — to eat
  22. suit — to fit
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bear — to put up with

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