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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. mug — a face
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. charge — a price
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — the fish
  9. tube — the underground
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bass — low music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. scale — in music
  16. charge — in control
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. charge — electricity

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