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: object · bore · mine · jam · bowl · firm · cue · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. mine — for digging
  4. tube — a container
  5. firm — steady
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. object — an aim
  13. bore — to tire
  14. object — a thing
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. firm — a company
  19. bore — to drill
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. firm — decided
  22. object — to protest
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. cue — for pool

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