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 116 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 · pop · swing · straw · net · bowl · key · hand

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. key — the most important part
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. key — in music
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. swing — music
  10. tube — a container
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pop — music
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. net — for catching
  15. swing — to play on
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. hand — in cards
  18. key — for a lock
  19. swing — in golf
  20. tube — the underground
  21. hand — help
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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