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: pit · bowl · band · tube · ball · bulb · fine · cap

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. pit — in a race
  3. tube — a container
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. fine — all right
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bulb — for light
  14. tube — the underground
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fine — high quality
  18. band — a music group
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. band — a ring
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cap — of ice

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