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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. foot — a measure
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — from crying
  12. pound — a weight
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. tube — a container
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. tube — the underground
  20. lean — thin
  21. plane — a tool
  22. tear — to rip
  23. stem — to come from
  24. plane — in geometry

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