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 · current · lie · roll · dip · row · wind · pop

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  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. pop — to visit
  3. pop — music
  4. current — of water
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. pop — soda
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. current — happening now
  10. roll — a list
  11. wind — moving air
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lie — to recline
  14. current — electric
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — a line
  19. tube — a container
  20. roll — a cake
  21. wind — moving air
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. dip — to dunk
  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