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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mine — for digging
  8. present — there
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. content — the amount
  11. fine — high quality
  12. present — a gift
  13. fine — all right
  14. content — happy
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool

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