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 120 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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. hand — help
  3. object — to protest
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. object — an aim
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — the most important part
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bound — tied together
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bound — obliged
  14. stock — shares
  15. key — in music
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. object — a thing
  21. stock — goods
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bound — certain
  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