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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. tube — a container
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bass — the fish
  7. board — a committee
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rule — government
  10. board — to get on
  11. wake — a trail
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — low music
  15. rule — a law
  16. cue — a signal
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. kid — child
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wake — before a funeral

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