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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rock — music
  5. dip — to sink
  6. squash — the sport
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. squash — to crush
  9. tube — the underground
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pop — to visit
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rock — a stone
  16. roll — a list
  17. pop — music
  18. roll — a cake
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. tube — a container
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pop — soda

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