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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. tube — a container
  3. content — happy
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rock — a stone
  7. hand — help
  8. track — a path
  9. pop — soda
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pop — music
  12. track — to keep track
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. track — a song
  15. tube — the underground
  16. content — the amount
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pop — to visit
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — in music
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. rock — music
  24. hand — in cards

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