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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. tube — a container
  3. last — final
  4. last — finally
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fall — to drop
  7. last — to go on
  8. fine — all right
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. content — happy
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. fall — the season
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. content — the amount

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