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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. craft — boats
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rest — a break
  11. tube — the underground
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rest — what's left
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. suit — clothes
  20. race — humankind
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. tube — a container

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