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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. drill — the tool
  3. lean — thin
  4. tube — a container
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. lean — to bend
  8. can — a tin
  9. drill — a practice
  10. prune — to trim
  11. can — to be able to
  12. tube — the underground
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. can — a tin
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. prune — to trim
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. drill — army training
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. hand — in cards
  24. lean — to rest against

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