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: trunk · spell · nail · dip · bass · last · tube · perch

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bass — the fish
  3. spell — a short time
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — final
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spell — magic
  9. tube — the underground
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. last — finally
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. spell — letters
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bass — low music
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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