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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. plane — a tool
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. file — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. deal — to handle
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. file — a document
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. stand — for spectators

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