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 · key · file · rock · chip · calf · content · fan

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  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. rock — music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rock — a stone
  4. chip — for betting
  5. content — happy
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. file — a document
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. chip — to eat
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. content — the amount
  15. key — in music
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fan — a supporter
  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