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 116 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. season — in sport
  3. fall — to drop
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. degree — temperature
  6. staff — employees
  7. season — of the year
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. craft — a skill
  11. staff — a stick
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fall — to drop
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. craft — boats
  18. degree — from a university
  19. staff — employees
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. fall — the season
  24. degree — an amount

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