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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. object — to protest
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. object — a thing
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. track — a path
  10. tube — a container
  11. object — an aim
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. track — a song
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. tube — the underground
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. lean — thin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. track — to keep track
  23. chair — a leader
  24. lean — to bend

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