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

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. present — the time now
  4. bass — low music
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. present — there
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bass — the fish
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. board — a committee
  14. present — a gift
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bear — the animal
  20. kick — in football
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. board — to get on

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