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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bass — the fish
  5. hand — help
  6. bound — obliged
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. tube — a container
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — in cards
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. band — a music group
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. object — a thing
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. object — an aim
  19. bass — low music
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. tube — the underground
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bound — certain
  24. band — a ring

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