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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. spring — a coil
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. degree — temperature
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. degree — from a university
  9. suit — in cards
  10. tube — a container
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. spring — of water
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. degree — an amount
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. spring — the season
  21. suit — to fit
  22. tube — the underground
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bowl — a football final

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