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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. spring — of water
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. dip — to sink
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. swing — music
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. kick — in football
  11. spring — the season
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. pit — in a race
  15. swing — to play on
  16. tube — the underground
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. pit — a hole
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. tube — a container
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. chair — a leader
  23. swing — in golf
  24. kick — a thrill

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