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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. staff — employees
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bass — low music
  6. mine — for digging
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. scale — in music
  9. tube — a container
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. scale — size or range
  23. tube — the underground
  24. toast — bread

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