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: tube · sharp · saw · scale · ball · net · can · snap

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. snap — to click
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. tube — a container
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. tube — the underground
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. can — to be able to
  12. net — for catching
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. saw — the tool
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. scale — size or range
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. net — in sport
  21. ball — a great time
  22. scale — in music
  23. net — after costs
  24. ball — a dance

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