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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — the underground
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. file — a tool
  7. craft — a skill
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. craft — boats
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rock — music
  12. tube — a container
  13. net — for catching
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bark — to shout
  19. rock — a stone
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. file — a line of people
  24. bark — of a tree

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