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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. land — to come down
  4. key — for a lock
  5. tube — a container
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. charge — a price
  10. tube — the underground
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. key — the most important part
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. charge — in control
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. key — in music
  18. land — ground
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. snap — to click
  24. land — a country

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