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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rock — music
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. swing — music
  5. tube — a container
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rest — what's left
  8. tube — the underground
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. rest — a break
  12. cap — a lid
  13. swing — in golf
  14. date — the fruit
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pop — soda
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a hat
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pop — to visit
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rock — a stone
  24. swing — to play on

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