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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. key — the most important part
  7. saw — the tool
  8. tube — a container
  9. ground — the earth
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. club — for dancing
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ground — crushed
  15. key — for a lock
  16. ground — a position
  17. club — for golf
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. key — in music
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  24. arm — part of the body

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