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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. staff — a stick
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — for a lock
  5. tube — a container
  6. field — for sport
  7. staff — employees
  8. press — newspapers
  9. field — a subject
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. chip — for betting
  12. press — to push
  13. chip — to eat
  14. key — in music
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. staff — employees
  20. stem — to come from
  21. field — farmland
  22. press — a publisher
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fan — a supporter

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