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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. firm — a company
  3. kick — in football
  4. firm — decided
  5. object — an aim
  6. file — a tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. file — a document
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. object — to protest
  12. file — a line of people
  13. lie — to recline
  14. firm — steady
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. perch — the fish
  24. object — a thing

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