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 124 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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. plane — a tool
  3. land — ground
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — for golf
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. file — a line of people
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. file — a tool
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. land — to come down
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. file — a document
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. land — a country
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. club — a group
  24. bear — the animal

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