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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. dip — to sink
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. fall — the season
  6. staff — employees
  7. file — a line of people
  8. tube — the underground
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. tube — a container
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. file — a tool
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. file — a document
  15. stand — to bear
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fall — to drop
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fall — to drop
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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