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: club · tube · racket · fine · stock · kid · face · bore

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. kid — child
  4. face — to point toward
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stock — goods
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — high quality
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bore — to drill
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. club — for golf
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. stock — shares
  15. tube — a container
  16. kid — to tease
  17. tube — the underground
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fine — all right
  20. club — a group
  21. face — to confront
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bore — to tire
  24. racket — a loud noise

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