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 · calf · mark · ruler · bass · chest · stick · hand

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. chest — of your body
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. tube — a container
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chest — a box
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. tube — the underground
  11. mark — a grade
  12. hand — in cards
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. chest — of your body
  15. hand — help
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mark — a trace
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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