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: nail · object · tube · wake · kick · field · bass · plane

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bass — the fish
  3. field — farmland
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wake — a trail
  6. field — a subject
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. object — an aim
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. object — a thing
  13. kick — in football
  14. field — for sport
  15. object — to protest
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bass — low music
  24. tube — a container

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