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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. court — of a king
  4. pop — soda
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. tube — a container
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. object — to protest
  13. pop — to visit
  14. capital — a city
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pop — music
  20. capital — money
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. court — of law
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. court — for sport

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