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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. can — a tin
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. rash — a series
  6. hand — in cards
  7. press — to push
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. field — for sport
  11. can — to be able to
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. can — a tin
  19. field — farmland
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. hand — help
  22. rash — hasty
  23. field — a subject
  24. pitch — completely

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