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 · deal · track · march · rule · toast · stock · pound

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. rule — a law
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. march — music
  10. pound — a weight
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. track — a song
  13. march — the month
  14. stock — goods
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. march — the month
  17. tube — a container
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. rule — government
  20. track — to keep track
  21. toast — bread
  22. track — a path
  23. deal — to handle
  24. tube — the underground

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