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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. kid — child
  7. kid — to tease
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. plane — a tool
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — a position
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. tube — a container
  22. pitch — completely
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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