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: suit · pound · wind · can · key · tube · kid · foot

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. tube — the underground
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. can — a tin
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. wind — moving air
  13. suit — to fit
  14. key — in music
  15. kid — child
  16. tube — a container
  17. kid — to tease
  18. suit — in cards
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. suit — clothes
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wind — moving air

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