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: hand · safe · lie · bulb · rest · tube · foot · trunk

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tube — a container
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bulb — for light
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rest — a break
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hand — in cards
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rest — what's left
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. foot — a measure
  24. hand — help

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