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: bowl · pound · fall · suit · file · tube · foot · pit

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. foot — a measure
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. fall — to drop
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. tube — a container
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. file — a document
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. file — a line of people
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pound — a weight
  22. file — a tool
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. foot — part of the body

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