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: chip · bay · tube · object · bore · wax · mate · date

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. object — to protest
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. object — a thing
  7. wax — to grow
  8. object — an aim
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bore — to tire
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — for betting
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mate — a partner
  24. date — on the calendar

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