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: object · cue · tube · trunk · straw · lash · pass · clip

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. object — an aim
  11. cue — a hint
  12. clip — to cut
  13. object — to protest
  14. clip — for paper
  15. pass — a permit
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. object — a thing
  18. tube — a container
  19. cue — for pool
  20. tube — the underground
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. cue — a signal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. clip — a video

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