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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · fork · date · dip · vault · board · scale · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. scale — in music
  3. board — to get on
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. tube — a container
  9. scale — size or range
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. date — the fruit
  15. dip — to sink
  16. fork — in a road
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — a safe
  22. board — a committee
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. fork — to eat with

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