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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. can — a tin
  4. scale — in music
  5. present — the time now
  6. can — to be able to
  7. row — a line
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — a position
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. can — a tin
  13. tube — the underground
  14. present — there
  15. tube — a container
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. present — a gift
  19. ground — crushed
  20. rush — hurry
  21. date — the fruit
  22. scale — size or range
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. scale — for weighing

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