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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. tube — a container
  9. firm — steady
  10. fine — high quality
  11. wax — to grow
  12. fine — all right
  13. tube — the underground
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. row — a line
  17. band — a ring
  18. current — electric
  19. band — a music group
  20. row — to paddle
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. firm — a company
  23. pop — soda
  24. firm — decided

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