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

Word bank: saw · board · rest · nail · tube · lean · court · bass

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. court — of a king
  6. lean — thin
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bass — the fish
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. board — a committee
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. tube — a container
  16. court — of law
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bass — low music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. court — for sport
  21. tube — the underground
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. board — to get on
  24. rest — a break

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