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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. court — for sport
  4. staff — employees
  5. cap — of ice
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — the underground
  9. court — of a king
  10. rash — hasty
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. scale — size or range
  13. rash — a series
  14. staff — employees
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cap — a lid
  17. scale — in music
  18. staff — a stick
  19. cap — a hat
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. court — of law

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