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: degree · leaves · swing · hide · squash · press · temple · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. swing — to play on
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. swing — in golf
  6. squash — the sport
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — from a university
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. tube — the underground
  13. press — newspapers
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. squash — to crush
  18. press — a publisher
  19. swing — music
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. press — to push
  22. degree — an amount
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. tube — a container

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