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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. land — to come down
  4. mark — a grade
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. tube — a container
  9. game — a match
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. land — a country
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. land — ground
  22. track — a path
  23. rush — hurry
  24. mark — a trace

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