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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. tube — a container
  3. bass — the fish
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bound — certain
  6. charge — in control
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — farmland
  9. charge — a price
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. charge — electricity
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bound — obliged
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. field — for sport
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bound — tied together
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bass — low music
  24. cabinet — ministers

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