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: race · tube · drill · jam · fan · roll · plane · wake

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. plane — a tool
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. tube — the underground
  7. wake — a trail
  8. roll — a cake
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. drill — a practice
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. tube — a container
  13. race — a contest
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. drill — army training
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. roll — a list
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. race — humankind
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. race — the arms race
  24. fan — to cool the air

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