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 116 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. present — a gift
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. file — a document
  8. spell — letters
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. spell — magic
  15. present — there
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a tool
  18. spell — a short time
  19. fine — all right
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. present — the time now
  22. tube — the underground
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ruler — a monarch

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