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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. present — the time now
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stock — shares
  8. band — a music group
  9. present — a gift
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tube — the underground
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. court — for sport
  17. dip — to sink
  18. stock — goods
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. present — there
  24. tube — a container

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