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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. swing — to play on
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rash — hasty
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. file — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. file — a document
  14. cap — of ice
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rest — what's left
  17. file — a line of people
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. rest — a break
  20. swing — music
  21. rash — a series
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. swing — in golf
  24. rest — what's left

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