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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. prune — to trim
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. foot — a measure
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. prune — to trim
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. can — a tin
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. can — a tin
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. toast — bread

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