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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. hand — help
  3. bank — of a river
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. foot — a measure
  10. land — a country
  11. bank — for money
  12. key — for a lock
  13. hand — in cards
  14. cue — a signal
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bank — for money
  20. date — the fruit
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. cue — for pool
  24. foot — part of the body

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