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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. kick — in football
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mug — a cup
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. file — a tool
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. mug — to rob
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. tube — a container
  13. file — a document
  14. mark — a trace
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. game — a match
  17. mug — a face
  18. key — the most important part
  19. mark — a grade
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. key — for a lock
  22. tube — the underground
  23. file — a line of people
  24. kick — with a leg

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