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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. suit — clothes
  3. club — for golf
  4. tube — a container
  5. dip — to sink
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. club — a group
  17. cap — a hat
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rash — hasty
  20. cap — of ice
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bear — the animal

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