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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. suit — to fit
  3. band — a music group
  4. tube — a container
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. land — to come down
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. suit — in cards
  11. land — ground
  12. bulb — for light
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — an amount
  15. board — a committee
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — to get on
  18. land — a country
  19. pass — a permit
  20. band — a ring
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. suit — clothes
  24. tube — the underground

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