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: tube · bound · club · mark · mine · nail · chip · pit

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pit — in a race
  4. club — for dancing
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mark — a grade
  7. tube — the underground
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bound — certain
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mine — for digging
  19. tube — a container
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — a group
  22. bound — obliged
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — to eat

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