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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. chip — to eat
  3. tube — the underground
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. chip — for betting
  7. key — the most important part
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. tube — a container
  10. key — in music
  11. content — happy
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. object — to protest
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. key — for a lock
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — an aim
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — in a road
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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