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 · spring · file · plane · stem · rush · current · bulb

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rush — hurry
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. spring — of water
  8. file — a tool
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. tube — the underground
  11. current — electric
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. current — happening now
  17. bulb — for light
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. current — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — a coil
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. file — a document

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