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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. tube — a container
  3. spring — of water
  4. bore — to drill
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — a coil
  8. track — a path
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mug — a face
  11. present — there
  12. track — a song
  13. tube — the underground
  14. present — the time now
  15. mug — a cup
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. track — to keep track
  23. charge — a price
  24. mug — to rob

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