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: tube · roll · patient · rash · rule · chair · temple · prune

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rash — a series
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — a container
  6. rule — a law
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rash — hasty
  12. prune — to trim
  13. roll — a list
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. prune — to trim
  16. roll — a cake
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. chair — a leader
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rule — government
  24. chair — a professorship

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