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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — to visit
  4. season — of the year
  5. chair — a leader
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. tube — a container
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. land — to come down
  11. pop — music
  12. club — for golf
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. land — a country
  16. club — a group
  17. season — in sport
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. land — ground
  20. tube — the underground
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. craft — boats
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. club — for dancing

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