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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a list
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pop — soda
  11. roll — a cake
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. last — final
  18. mine — for digging
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pop — music
  22. tube — the underground
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — finally

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