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: scale · trunk · bass · vault · snap · roll · plane · lash

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bass — low music
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. roll — a list
  15. scale — in music
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. scale — size or range
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bass — the fish
  24. snap — to click

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