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 · mug · hide · craft · rock · object · mine · chip

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. tube — a container
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mug — a cup
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. craft — a skill
  8. tube — the underground
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. craft — boats
  11. rock — a stone
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. object — a thing
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mug — a face
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mug — to rob
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. mine — for digging
  22. chip — for betting
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mine — belonging to me

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