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: craft · tube · file · spring · rush · spell · bass · ruler

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bass — low music
  3. file — a document
  4. tube — a container
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rush — hurry
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — letters
  9. file — a line of people
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. craft — boats
  15. file — a tool
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. spell — magic
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bass — the fish
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. spring — the season
  24. craft — a skill

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