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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. vault — a safe
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. tube — a container
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. foot — a measure
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. pitch — completely

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