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: mine · fan · leaves · root · tube · bay · arm · chip

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. tube — a container
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. root — of a plant
  17. tube — the underground
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — for betting
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  24. tube — in a tire

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