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 · staff · lean · mouse · patient · clip · can · pit

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. can — to be able to
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. clip — to cut
  7. pit — a hole
  8. can — a tin
  9. pit — in a race
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. clip — for paper
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. clip — a video
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. tube — the underground
  21. can — a tin
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. tube — a container
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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