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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. tube — a container
  3. can — to be able to
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a music group
  9. dip — to sink
  10. band — a ring
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. saw — the tool
  14. can — a tin
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. row — a line
  19. can — a tin
  20. saw — the tool
  21. tube — the underground
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. row — to paddle
  24. nail — for a hammer

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