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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. tube — a container
  3. kid — child
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. content — the amount
  6. rock — music
  7. pass — a permit
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. prune — to trim
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. tube — the underground
  15. perch — the fish
  16. content — happy
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. prune — to trim
  20. kid — to tease
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. rock — a stone
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. tube — in a tire

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