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 116 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: cap · saw · tube · drill · field · trunk · mug · craft

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. drill — a practice
  3. tube — the underground
  4. drill — army training
  5. field — a subject
  6. mug — to rob
  7. cap — a lid
  8. mug — a face
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. cap — of ice
  11. field — for sport
  12. saw — the tool
  13. field — farmland
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. tube — a container
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cap — a hat
  19. saw — the tool
  20. drill — the tool
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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