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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. squash — the sport
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. ground — the earth
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. tube — a container
  9. ground — a position
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — a practice
  12. craft — a skill
  13. drill — army training
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. wax — to grow
  22. squash — to crush
  23. craft — boats
  24. ground — crushed

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