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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fall — to drop
  6. tube — a container
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. file — a line of people
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. suit — clothes
  11. file — a tool
  12. mug — a face
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bore — to tire
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. suit — to fit
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fall — the season
  24. file — a document

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