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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. drill — the tool
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. drill — army training
  7. plane — a tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pass — a permit
  13. ground — a position
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mine — for digging
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ground — crushed
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. saw — the 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