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 116 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. track — a path
  3. ball — a great time
  4. chip — for betting
  5. scale — size or range
  6. track — a song
  7. wax — to grow
  8. chip — to eat
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. tube — a container
  14. scale — in music
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ball — a dance
  18. track — to keep track
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. tube — the underground

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