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 116 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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. board — a committee
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. squash — to crush
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stock — goods
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. board — to get on
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. tube — a container
  13. squash — the sport
  14. stock — shares
  15. scale — in music
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. scale — size or range
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. tube — the underground
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. board — a flat piece

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