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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. degree — an amount
  3. chip — to eat
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. degree — temperature
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. net — in sport
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. tube — a container
  12. degree — from a university
  13. net — for catching
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. staff — a stick
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. net — after costs
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. staff — employees
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. staff — employees
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chip — for betting

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