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: tube · lash · root · bank · scale · bore · sharp · dip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. tube — a container
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bank — of a river
  14. scale — size or range
  15. tube — the underground
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. sharp — clever
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a word
  21. scale — in music
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. dip — to sink

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