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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. scale — size or range
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mark — a grade
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. last — to go on
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. last — final
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. last — finally
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. scale — in music
  19. mark — a trace
  20. tube — a container
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. tube — the underground
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. dip — to sink

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