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 116 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cue — a signal
  6. can — to be able to
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. can — a tin
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. cap — a hat
  13. can — a tin
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. degree — an amount
  19. cue — a hint
  20. tube — a container
  21. degree — temperature
  22. degree — from a university
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cap — a lid

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