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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. club — for dancing
  3. deal — to handle
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bound — certain
  6. club — for golf
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. club — a group
  9. tube — a container
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. saw — the tool
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — obliged
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — the sport
  21. row — a line
  22. vault — a safe
  23. squash — to crush
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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