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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. track — to keep track
  9. plane — a tool
  10. chair — a leader
  11. pound — a weight
  12. chest — of your body
  13. track — a song
  14. track — a path
  15. rash — a series
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chest — a box
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. chair — to sit on

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