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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. saw — the tool
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. can — a tin
  6. present — a gift
  7. can — to be able to
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bulb — for light
  10. can — a tin
  11. object — an aim
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bulb — for light
  14. present — the time now
  15. object — to protest
  16. game — wild animals
  17. present — there
  18. tube — a container
  19. object — a thing
  20. pop — soda
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — a match
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. saw — the tool

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