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: sharp · dip · stem · key · foot · leaves · tube · club

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. club — for golf
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stem — to come from
  6. tube — a container
  7. club — for dancing
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. dip — to sink
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. club — a group
  12. foot — a measure
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. key — for a lock
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. sharp — clever
  24. tube — the underground

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