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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. tube — the underground
  5. spell — magic
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. content — the amount
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bulb — for light
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. spell — a short time
  12. content — happy
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bulb — for light
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fork — in a road
  22. tube — a container
  23. spell — letters
  24. trunk — of a tree

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