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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. file — a line of people
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. board — to get on
  6. drill — a practice
  7. file — a tool
  8. scale — size or range
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. scale — in music
  12. drill — the tool
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cell — in biology
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. stand — to bear
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. drill — army training
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. board — a committee
  22. file — a document
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. plane — a tool

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