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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. tube — the underground
  8. ball — a dance
  9. board — to get on
  10. chip — for betting
  11. tube — a container
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. board — a committee
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wax — to grow
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. toast — bread
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. ball — a great time

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