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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chest — of your body
  6. capital — a city
  7. chest — a box
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. capital — money
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. ball — a great time
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. ball — a dance

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