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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. spring — of water
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. spring — the season
  6. suit — clothes
  7. tear — from crying
  8. spring — a coil
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. tube — a container
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mark — a trace
  16. suit — in cards
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. tear — to rip
  22. suit — to fit
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bay — a horse colour

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