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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. plane — a tool
  4. last — finally
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bank — for money
  8. tube — the underground
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. last — to go on
  13. roll — a cake
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a list
  18. dip — to sink
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. last — final
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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