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: root · rash · stick · game · bay · file · tube · wind

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. game — wild animals
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. game — a match
  7. tube — the underground
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. root — of a plant
  10. file — a line of people
  11. rash — hasty
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. file — a document
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — the cause
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rash — a series
  23. file — a tool
  24. wind — moving air

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