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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. land — ground
  4. vault — a safe
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. drill — army training
  7. track — a song
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pop — soda
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. tube — the underground
  13. drill — a practice
  14. land — a country
  15. track — to keep track
  16. tube — a container
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pop — music
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pop — to visit
  21. land — to come down
  22. pitch — completely
  23. track — a path
  24. leaves — lets stay

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