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 · content · wake · stock · date · bowl · club · current

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. current — electric
  4. stock — goods
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. content — happy
  9. date — the fruit
  10. content — the amount
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stock — shares
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. club — for golf
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. tube — a container
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. current — happening now
  23. tube — the underground
  24. current — of water

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