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: fine · content · ground · scale · rest · hide · tube · deal

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. scale — size or range
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. content — happy
  5. deal — to handle
  6. tube — a container
  7. content — the amount
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rest — what's left
  11. ground — crushed
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. ground — the earth
  16. rest — a break
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fine — all right
  22. scale — in music
  23. ground — a position
  24. hide — animal skin

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