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: tube · mouse · can · nail · board · wave · race · fork

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. tube — the underground
  3. race — humankind
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. race — the arms race
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. race — a contest
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. board — to get on
  16. tube — a container
  17. fork — in a road
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. can — a tin
  24. tube — in a tire

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