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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. tube — the underground
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. object — an aim
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. object — to protest
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. tube — a container
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. can — a tin
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. sharp — clever
  19. can — to be able to
  20. snap — to click
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. can — a tin
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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