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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tube · pit · rock · calf · bowl · last · bear · arm

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. pit — a hole
  3. last — finally
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rock — music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. pit — in a race
  21. last — final
  22. last — to go on
  23. tube — the underground
  24. calf — a young animal

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