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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fork — in a road
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. degree — temperature
  7. saw — the tool
  8. tube — the underground
  9. degree — an amount
  10. game — wild animals
  11. suit — clothes
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. tube — a container
  14. degree — from a university
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. game — a match
  21. plane — a tool
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — in football
  24. suit — in cards

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