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 120 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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. content — the amount
  6. key — for a lock
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. tube — a container
  9. club — for golf
  10. key — in music
  11. board — to get on
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. club — a group
  14. board — a committee
  15. object — to protest
  16. key — the most important part
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. club — for dancing
  19. object — an aim
  20. tube — the underground
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. object — a thing

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