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: tube · pop · date · stick · roll · lie · drill · coach

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — army training
  6. pop — soda
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. tube — the underground
  11. date — the fruit
  12. tube — a container
  13. pop — music
  14. roll — a list
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pop — to visit
  17. drill — the tool
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. roll — a cake
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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