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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. content — the amount
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. stock — shares
  5. charge — a price
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. board — a committee
  8. date — the fruit
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. charge — in control
  13. board — to get on
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. stock — goods
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. content — happy
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. board — a flat piece

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