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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. date — the fruit
  3. object — an aim
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. object — to protest
  7. stand — to bear
  8. charge — in control
  9. object — a thing
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. land — to come down
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. charge — a price

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