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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. fork — in a road
  5. spring — a coil
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rule — government
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. spring — of water
  13. plane — a tool
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. mug — a face
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. deal — to handle
  20. spring — the season
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. rule — a law
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. scale — in music

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