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: lash · scale · coach · tube · prune · vault · bulb · object

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. scale — size or range
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — the underground
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bulb — for light
  12. vault — a safe
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. scale — in music
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — a thing
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. object — an aim
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. prune — to trim
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. coach — a trainer

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