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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. can — a tin
  3. board — a committee
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. chip — to eat
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. can — to be able to
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. tube — the underground
  13. wound — an injury
  14. board — to get on
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. tube — a container
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. wound — an injury
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stock — shares
  23. chip — for betting
  24. can — a tin

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