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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. vault — a safe
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mine — for digging
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mate — a friend
  13. plane — a tool
  14. march — the month
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. cabinet — ministers

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