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: press · tube · kid · band · leaves · face · season · saw

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — a container
  3. band — a music group
  4. saw — the tool
  5. face — to confront
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. kid — child
  8. face — to point toward
  9. band — a ring
  10. face — part of the head
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. tube — the underground
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. saw — the tool
  16. press — to push
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. press — newspapers
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — in sport
  23. kid — to tease
  24. press — a publisher

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