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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — for digging
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rash — hasty
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mug — a cup
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mug — to rob
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mug — a face

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