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 120 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. chip — to eat
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bass — the fish
  7. content — happy
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. rock — a stone
  11. last — finally
  12. last — to go on
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. chair — a leader
  15. rock — music
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chip — for betting
  19. season — of the year
  20. last — final
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. content — the amount
  24. bass — low 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