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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pop — soda
  3. scale — size or range
  4. pop — to visit
  5. file — a document
  6. object — a thing
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — the underground
  10. clip — a video
  11. scale — in music
  12. clip — to cut
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. pop — music
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. clip — for paper
  18. wind — moving air
  19. object — an aim
  20. pound — a weight
  21. file — a tool
  22. object — to protest
  23. file — a line of people
  24. tube — a container

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