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: arm · plane · dip · lie · craft · shower · march · tube

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. craft — boats
  3. tube — a container
  4. shower — to wash
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. tube — the underground
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. march — the month
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. plane — a tool

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