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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. drill — the tool
  6. staff — a stick
  7. roll — a cake
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. drill — a practice
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — help
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. roll — a list
  22. staff — employees
  23. drill — army training
  24. staff — employees

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