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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. tube — a container
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. charge — in control
  5. swing — in golf
  6. drill — army training
  7. charge — a price
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. vault — a safe
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. field — for sport
  17. drill — the tool
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. charge — electricity
  20. content — happy
  21. field — a subject
  22. field — farmland
  23. tube — the underground
  24. content — the amount

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