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: present · safe · arm · capital · band · tube · rule · bore

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. band — a music group
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bore — to drill
  7. present — the time now
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. band — a ring
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. tube — the underground
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. present — there
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. capital — a city
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. rule — a law
  19. capital — money
  20. rule — government
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bore — to tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. rule — to rule out

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