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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mug — to rob
  3. plane — a tool
  4. clip — a video
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. scale — in music
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. last — finally
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. clip — to cut
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mug — a cup
  14. row — to paddle
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. row — a line
  18. last — to go on
  19. board — to get on
  20. last — final
  21. mug — a face
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. clip — for paper

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