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 · ruler · stem · lie · kick · racket · bass · content

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. tube — the underground
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — low music
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. kick — in football
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. content — happy
  16. bass — the fish
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stem — to come from
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. tube — a container
  22. lie — to recline
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. kick — a thrill

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