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: tube · hand · field · trunk · key · fall · vault · rush

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. vault — a safe
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. tube — a container
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. key — in music
  9. rush — hurry
  10. hand — in cards
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. field — for sport
  13. key — the most important part
  14. hand — help
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. fall — the season
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. key — for a lock
  19. field — a subject
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. tube — the underground
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. field — farmland

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