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

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. 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. chest — of your body
  2. drill — the tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. chest — a box
  6. wound — an injury
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wound — an injury
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. drill — army training
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stock — goods
  18. chest — of your body
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. stock — shares
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. 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