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 124 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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  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. toast — bread
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — to wash
  5. craft — a skill
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. craft — boats
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. tube — the underground
  15. shower — rain
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wax — to grow
  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