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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. tube — a container
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. spell — magic
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. field — farmland
  8. row — to paddle
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. field — a subject
  14. can — a tin
  15. row — a line
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. can — a tin
  18. field — for sport
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — to rob
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. spell — a short time
  24. mug — a face

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