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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bulb — for light
  7. race — the arms race
  8. tube — the underground
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. race — humankind
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bulb — for light
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bank — for money
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. tube — a container
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. race — a contest
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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