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: content · tube · chip · root · scale · court · march · sharp

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. root — of a plant
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — in music
  5. march — the month
  6. court — of law
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. court — for sport
  10. root — of a word
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. tube — a container
  13. scale — size or range
  14. march — music
  15. march — the month
  16. content — the amount
  17. court — of a king
  18. chip — for betting
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. chip — to eat
  21. root — the cause
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. content — happy

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