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 124 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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. firm — a company
  5. tube — a container
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. firm — steady
  9. band — a music group
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rash — hasty
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. firm — decided
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. band — a ring
  20. tear — to rip
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. tear — from crying

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