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

Word bank: can · degree · nail · stock · tube · bass · pop · key

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. can — a tin
  3. key — in music
  4. tube — a container
  5. degree — from a university
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. degree — an amount
  8. tube — the underground
  9. key — the most important part
  10. can — to be able to
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stock — goods
  13. can — a tin
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pop — to visit
  16. key — for a lock
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pop — soda
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. degree — temperature
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pop — music
  24. bass — low 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