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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. swing — music
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. cap — a lid
  5. swing — in golf
  6. firm — decided
  7. tube — the underground
  8. clip — a video
  9. firm — steady
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pop — to visit
  12. firm — a company
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rule — a law
  15. clip — to cut
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pop — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. pop — soda
  21. rule — government
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. cap — of ice
  24. clip — for paper

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