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: rash · trunk · bass · game · cue · craft · tube · bore

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bass — the fish
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rash — a series
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bass — low music
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. game — wild animals
  16. craft — a skill
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — a match
  19. cue — for pool
  20. craft — boats
  21. bore — to tire
  22. cue — a signal
  23. tube — a container
  24. trunk — of a car

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