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: straw · deal · current · jam · bear · tube · field · arm

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bear — the animal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. field — farmland
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. field — for sport
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bear — the animal
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. current — of water
  19. deal — to handle
  20. field — a subject
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. jam — in traffic

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