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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. firm — steady
  3. bear — the animal
  4. field — a subject
  5. drill — the tool
  6. mate — a partner
  7. field — for sport
  8. firm — decided
  9. kid — child
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. field — farmland
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. firm — a company
  16. bear — the animal
  17. drill — army training
  18. tube — a container
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mate — to breed
  21. drill — a practice
  22. kid — to tease
  23. mate — a friend
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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