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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. file — a document
  8. mug — a cup
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mug — to rob
  13. file — a line of people
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wound — an injury
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pound — a weight
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. tube — a container
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. tube — the underground
  24. mug — a face

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