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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. tube — the underground
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — a practice
  8. rock — music
  9. rush — hurry
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. drill — army training
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. row — a line
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. tube — a container
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. tube — in a tire
  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