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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. key — in music
  3. perch — the fish
  4. key — the most important part
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. key — for a lock
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. can — to be able to
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. club — a group
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bat — the animal
  21. can — a tin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. club — for golf
  24. can — a tin

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