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: squash · game · pit · spell · band · suit · tube · firm

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — a container
  4. spell — a short time
  5. squash — to crush
  6. tube — the underground
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. band — a music group
  9. firm — decided
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. firm — steady
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. suit — to fit
  14. squash — the sport
  15. game — a match
  16. suit — in cards
  17. band — a ring
  18. firm — a company
  19. spell — letters
  20. suit — clothes
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. spell — magic
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — in a race

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