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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. net — in sport
  7. bass — the fish
  8. face — to point toward
  9. mug — a cup
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bass — low music
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. charge — in control
  16. mug — a face
  17. net — after costs
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. face — to confront
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. net — for catching

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