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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. shower — rain
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — in music
  5. fork — in a road
  6. track — a song
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. track — to keep track
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. plane — a tool
  11. track — a path
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. wound — an injury
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. scale — size or range
  17. wound — an injury
  18. shower — to wash

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