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 · bass · sharp · saw · rock · lie · prune · fan

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. lie — to recline
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bass — the fish
  7. saw — the tool
  8. tube — a container
  9. bass — low music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. prune — to trim
  24. sharp — clever

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