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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. plane — a tool
  4. tube — a container
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. dip — to sink
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. prune — to trim
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. spring — of water
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. cue — a signal
  18. spring — the season
  19. bark — to shout
  20. prune — to trim
  21. spring — a coil
  22. cue — for pool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. prune — the fruit

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