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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wake — a trail
  11. charge — a price
  12. bank — for money
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. charge — in control
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. charge — electricity
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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