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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. content — happy
  3. pound — a weight
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. stand — to bear
  11. tube — a container
  12. stock — shares
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. stock — goods
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stand — on your feet

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