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 120 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. chip — to eat
  4. court — of a king
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pound — a weight
  11. scale — in music
  12. chip — for betting
  13. court — for sport
  14. mark — a trace
  15. court — of law
  16. season — of the year
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. season — in sport
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. mark — a grade
  24. scale — for weighing

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