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: pit · arm · perch · pop · tube · fork · plane · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. pop — music
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pop — to visit
  10. fork — in a road
  11. tube — the underground
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. perch — the fish
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pop — soda
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pit — a hole
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. tube — a container

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