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: cabinet · trunk · file · rock · press · fall · tube · bore

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. file — a tool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bore — to tire
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. press — to push
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — the season
  12. rock — music
  13. file — a document
  14. tube — the underground
  15. press — a publisher
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bore — to drill
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fall — to drop
  24. file — a line of people

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