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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. band — a music group
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. race — a contest
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. race — the arms race
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cue — for pool
  17. race — humankind
  18. cue — a signal
  19. tube — a container
  20. cue — a hint
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a ring
  23. fine — all right
  24. bowl — a dish

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