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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. plane — a tool
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wound — an injury
  6. key — in music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. last — finally
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fine — high quality
  18. last — final
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. fork — in a road
  24. plane — an aircraft

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