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 116 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: stem · file · ruler · capital · mouse · straw · tube · racket

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. tube — a container
  5. capital — a city
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a tool
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. tube — the underground
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. file — a document
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stem — to come from
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. capital — money
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. ruler — for measuring

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