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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. wind — moving air
  2. tube — a container
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. wind — moving air
  6. clip — to cut
  7. clip — for paper
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. key — the most important part
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. key — for a lock
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. stem — to come from
  17. clip — a video
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rush — hurry
  22. tube — the underground
  23. key — in music
  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