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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. tube — a container
  6. file — a document
  7. net — in sport
  8. pop — soda
  9. net — after costs
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. chip — for betting
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. snap — to click
  18. chip — to eat
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. file — a line of people
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pop — to visit
  23. net — for catching
  24. file — a tool

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