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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. tube — the underground
  3. chest — of your body
  4. pop — music
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. tube — a container
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. pit — a hole
  11. game — wild animals
  12. chest — of your body
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. saw — the tool
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bark — to shout
  19. pop — soda
  20. chest — a box
  21. key — in music
  22. pop — to visit
  23. game — a match
  24. key — for a lock

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