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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. dip — to sink
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. current — of water
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. roll — a list
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. tube — a container
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. current — electric
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. roll — a cake
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. current — happening now

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