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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. can — a tin
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kick — in football
  7. spell — a short time
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. kid — child
  10. fine — high quality
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. can — a tin
  13. spell — letters
  14. tube — the underground
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. spell — magic
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. swing — in golf
  22. can — to be able to
  23. fine — all right
  24. kick — with a leg

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