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: pound · chest · tear · tube · can · saw · temple · pass

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. tube — a container
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pass — a permit
  7. tear — from crying
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. tube — the underground
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. tear — from crying
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pound — a weight
  15. tear — to rip
  16. chest — of your body
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chest — a box
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. chest — of your body

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