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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. tube — a container
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. tube — the underground
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. board — a committee
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mine — for digging
  9. land — a country
  10. land — ground
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. kick — in football
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. plane — a tool
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. board — to get on
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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