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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bear — the animal
  4. tube — a container
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. press — to push
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. band — a ring
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. band — a music group
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bear — the animal

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