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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wind — moving air
  6. toast — bread
  7. board — to get on
  8. drill — a practice
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. content — happy
  14. drill — army training
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. drill — the tool
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — the amount
  21. wind — moving air
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. board — a committee

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