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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. squash — the sport
  7. sharp — clever
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. plane — a tool
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bulb — for light
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wind — moving air
  16. squash — to crush
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. tube — the underground
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. tube — a container

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