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 120 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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. suit — in cards
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pop — music
  6. court — of a king
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. tube — the underground
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stock — shares
  13. mine — for digging
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. court — for sport
  18. stock — goods
  19. pop — soda
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pop — to visit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. court — of law

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