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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. spell — magic
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. tube — a container
  10. plane — a tool
  11. tube — the underground
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spring — the season
  15. staff — employees
  16. spring — a coil
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. spring — of water
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. spell — letters

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