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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. plane — a tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. season — of the year
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. last — finally
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. rock — a stone
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. season — in sport
  15. saw — the tool
  16. prune — to trim
  17. last — final
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. last — to go on
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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