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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. tube — the underground
  3. club — a group
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. club — for dancing
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. tube — a container
  8. mug — a face
  9. pop — music
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pop — soda
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. plane — a tool
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. branch — a division
  17. pop — to visit
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. club — for golf
  22. mug — to rob
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mug — a cup

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