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: spring · stem · club · trunk · tube · suit · drill · bowl

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. club — a group
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. drill — army training
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. suit — in cards
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — a coil
  15. suit — to fit
  16. club — for dancing
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. club — for golf
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. spring — of water

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