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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. drill — army training
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. drill — the tool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. band — a ring
  9. kick — in football
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. drill — a practice
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. mark — a trace
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. band — a music group
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. scale — in music

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