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: cell · tube · fan · ball · game · cabinet · object · ground

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. cell — in biology
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tube — a container
  9. ground — a position
  10. ball — a dance
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. object — a thing
  15. tube — the underground
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. cell — a phone
  20. object — to protest
  21. game — wild animals
  22. object — an aim
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — crushed

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