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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. tube — a container
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. can — to be able to
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mate — to breed
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. mate — a partner
  12. can — a tin
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. squash — the sport
  19. row — a line
  20. can — a tin
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. row — to paddle
  23. chip — to eat
  24. row — a quarrel

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