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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. current — happening now
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — size or range
  13. prune — to trim
  14. tube — a container
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. current — of water
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. tube — the underground
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. ball — a great time
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. current — electric
  24. prune — to trim

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