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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. spring — a coil
  3. squash — the sport
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wax — to grow
  7. spring — the season
  8. plane — a tool
  9. spring — of water
  10. chair — a leader
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. squash — to crush
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. plane — an aircraft

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