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 116 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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. mug — to rob
  5. firm — steady
  6. root — the cause
  7. firm — a company
  8. root — of a word
  9. firm — decided
  10. shower — rain
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — a face
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. tube — the underground
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. tube — a container
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stock — goods
  24. root — of a plant

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