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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bark — to shout
  3. face — to point toward
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. face — to confront
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. face — part of the head
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. can — a tin
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. tube — a container
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. tube — the underground

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