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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. swing — in golf
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pop — music
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. board — to get on
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. face — part of the head
  13. tube — a container
  14. face — to point toward
  15. roll — a list
  16. swing — music
  17. roll — a cake
  18. face — to confront
  19. board — a committee
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pop — soda
  23. swing — to play on
  24. board — a flat piece

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