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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. tube — the underground
  4. land — a country
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. hand — in cards
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. vault — a safe
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pound — a weight
  12. tube — a container
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pop — music
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. land — to come down
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pop — soda
  21. hand — help
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. land — ground
  24. pop — to visit

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