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 · toast · swing · bear · mug · stock · content · staff

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. tube — the underground
  9. content — happy
  10. staff — employees
  11. mug — a face
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bear — the animal
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. staff — a stick
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mug — a cup
  19. staff — employees
  20. toast — bread
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — the amount
  23. bear — the animal
  24. tube — a container

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