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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. land — to come down
  3. bound — certain
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bound — tied together
  7. land — a country
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rest — what's left
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bound — obliged
  12. rest — a break
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. stock — goods
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stock — shares
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. land — ground
  23. lean — thin
  24. plane — in geometry

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