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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. scale — size or range
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. scale — in music
  10. rest — a break
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bulb — for light
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rest — what's left
  15. plane — a tool
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. craft — boats
  19. bulb — for light
  20. tube — the underground
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. game — a kind of play

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