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 116 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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tube — a container
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rule — a law
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rash — a series
  10. rule — government
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. tube — the underground

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