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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. can — a tin
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. chip — for betting
  9. drill — army training
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. can — to be able to
  18. drill — a practice
  19. tube — a container
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. temple — side of the head

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