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'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. chair — a leader
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bore — to tire
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — farmland
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. field — a subject
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. kick — in football
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bore — to drill
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mark — a trace

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