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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. scale — size or range
  3. last — to go on
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. field — farmland
  6. last — finally
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — humankind
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. last — final
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. field — a subject
  19. field — for sport
  20. scale — in music
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. race — a contest

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