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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. court — of a king
  6. bulb — for light
  7. court — for sport
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mug — to rob
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mine — for digging
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mug — a face
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. court — of law
  24. mug — a cup

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