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: tube · trunk · mine · bowl · plane · kid · staff · march

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. tube — the underground
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mine — for digging
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. staff — employees
  8. march — music
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. march — the month
  11. kid — to tease
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. staff — employees
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. plane — a tool
  19. march — the month
  20. kid — child
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bowl — a football final

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