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 · fan · drill · lash · present · sharp · perch · dip

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. perch — the fish
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. present — there
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. present — the time now
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. drill — army training
  18. present — a gift
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. sharp — clever
  23. dip — to sink
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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