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: tube · land · swing · can · prune · vault · degree · bore

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. tube — a container
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. swing — to play on
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. tube — the underground
  13. land — to come down
  14. degree — temperature
  15. bore — to tire
  16. prune — to trim
  17. land — a country
  18. swing — music
  19. bore — to drill
  20. land — ground
  21. can — a tin
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — from a university

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