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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. content — the amount
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. firm — a company
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — a container
  11. firm — decided
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. firm — steady
  14. march — the month
  15. march — the month
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. march — music
  18. game — wild animals
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — bread
  21. content — happy
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. game — a match
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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