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: face · prune · cap · fine · coach · racket · tube · rest

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. prune — to trim
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cap — of ice
  5. face — part of the head
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. tube — a container
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. face — to confront
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rest — what's left
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cap — a lid
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rest — a break
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. fine — all right
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. face — to point toward
  23. cap — a hat
  24. prune — the fruit

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