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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. saw — the tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fine — high quality
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. file — a tool
  8. fine — all right
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. tube — the underground
  17. file — a document
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. saw — the tool

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