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: fork · foot · tear · temple · ground · bound · key · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bound — tied together
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fork — in a road
  6. foot — a measure
  7. tube — a container
  8. tear — from crying
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bound — certain
  11. tear — to rip
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bound — obliged
  19. ground — crushed
  20. key — the most important part
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. ground — a position
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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