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: snap · degree · bank · tube · rock · dip · net · content

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. content — happy
  3. tube — the underground
  4. net — for catching
  5. tube — a container
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. degree — from a university
  9. rock — music
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. net — after costs
  14. dip — to sink
  15. content — the amount
  16. bank — of a river
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bank — for money
  19. net — in sport
  20. degree — temperature
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bank — for money
  23. degree — an amount
  24. snap — to click

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