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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. firm — decided
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. tube — a container
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for golf
  9. shower — to wash
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. club — for dancing
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. shower — rain
  17. firm — steady
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. firm — a company
  20. ground — crushed
  21. tube — the underground
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. coach — a trainer

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