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: toast · roll · bound · mug · fall · chip · tube · bark

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fall — the season
  5. bark — to shout
  6. mug — a face
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bound — certain
  9. roll — a cake
  10. chip — for betting
  11. toast — bread
  12. mug — to rob
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bound — tied together
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mug — a cup
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. roll — a list
  22. bound — obliged
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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