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: pitcher · tube · file · root · plane · mate · object · cabinet

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. mate — a partner
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — an aim
  7. mate — a friend
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. object — to protest
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mate — to breed
  12. root — of a plant
  13. file — a tool
  14. root — the cause
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. plane — a tool
  17. root — of a word
  18. tube — the underground
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. tube — a container
  22. file — a document
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. file — a line of people

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