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 116 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: file · charge · swing · nail · bore · game · tube · wind

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. swing — to play on
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. file — a document
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. charge — electricity
  11. swing — music
  12. charge — a price
  13. file — a tool
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. game — a match
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. charge — in control
  22. bore — to drill
  23. file — a line of people
  24. game — wild animals

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