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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. board — a committee
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. last — finally
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. last — final
  17. last — to go on
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. tube — a container
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. dip — to sink

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