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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — hurry
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. prune — to trim
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. track — a song
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. track — a path
  9. tube — a container
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. can — to be able to
  12. chip — for betting
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. track — to keep track
  16. tube — the underground
  17. chip — to eat
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. foot — a measure
  20. prune — to trim
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rush — a thrill

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