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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · tube · lash · spring · patient · row · plane · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. row — a line
  4. spring — the season
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. press — to push
  8. spring — a coil
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. press — newspapers
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. spring — of water
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. tube — a container
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. press — a publisher
  20. tube — the underground
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. row — to paddle
  23. plane — a tool
  24. lash — to lash out

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