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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. band — a ring
  3. ground — crushed
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bass — low music
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. lie — to recline
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — a position
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. band — a music group
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bass — the fish
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bowl — a dish

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