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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. tube — a container
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. pop — music
  8. firm — decided
  9. degree — temperature
  10. pop — to visit
  11. degree — an amount
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. tube — the underground
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. deal — to handle
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. dip — to sink
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pop — soda
  22. degree — from a university
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — to grow

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