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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mate — to breed
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. tube — the underground
  8. scale — in music
  9. mate — a partner
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. cue — for pool
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. tube — a container
  14. scale — size or range
  15. cue — a hint
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. wake — a trail
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mate — a friend
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. charge — a price
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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