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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in biology
  3. suit — clothes
  4. field — for sport
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. key — the most important part
  13. tube — a container
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. key — for a lock
  17. tube — the underground
  18. field — a subject
  19. pit — in a race
  20. field — farmland
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. key — in music
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. suit — in cards

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