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 116 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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. charge — a price
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. key — in music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. hand — help
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. tube — the underground
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. key — the most important part
  17. hand — in cards
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pop — soda
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. charge — in control
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pop — music

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