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 120 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: staff · drill · trunk · chair · scale · bowl · tube · cabinet

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. staff — a stick
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. chair — a leader
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. staff — employees
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. staff — employees
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. drill — army training
  17. scale — in music
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. tube — the underground
  24. chair — a professorship

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