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 · rash · spring · can · last · content · stand · calf

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. can — a tin
  4. content — the amount
  5. spring — the season
  6. can — to be able to
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. last — to go on
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. can — a tin
  12. rash — a series
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. spring — a coil
  16. last — final
  17. stand — to bear
  18. content — happy
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. spring — of water
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. last — finally
  24. tube — the underground

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