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 124 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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. march — the month
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. march — the month
  9. tube — the underground
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. march — music
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. land — a country
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — ground
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. fan — a supporter

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