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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. chip — to eat
  4. foot — a measure
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. chip — for betting
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — a coil
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bound — obliged
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. tube — a container
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bound — certain
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bound — tied together
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. spring — of water
  24. chip — in a computer

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