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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. clip — for paper
  4. clip — a video
  5. clip — to cut
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rest — a break
  16. spell — a short time
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. rest — what's left
  24. tube — the underground

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