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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. row — a line
  3. tube — a container
  4. swing — to play on
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. charge — in control
  7. content — the amount
  8. row — to paddle
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bear — the animal
  15. charge — a price
  16. tube — the underground
  17. charge — electricity
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bear — the animal
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. content — happy

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