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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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. pop — to visit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. last — finally
  6. band — a ring
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. band — a music group
  11. present — the time now
  12. key — in music
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. last — final
  15. pop — soda
  16. tube — the underground
  17. present — a gift
  18. key — the most important part
  19. last — to go on
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. key — for a lock
  23. present — there
  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