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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. tube — the underground
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. present — the time now
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. pitch — completely
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. tube — a container
  17. staff — employees
  18. wake — a trail
  19. present — there
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. present — a gift
  22. stem — to come from
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stem — 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