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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wax — to grow
  4. court — for sport
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. can — a tin
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. can — a tin
  11. tube — a container
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. can — to be able to
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. deal — to handle
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. present — the time now
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. charge — a price
  20. present — there
  21. tube — the underground
  22. court — of a king
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. court — of law

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