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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wound — an injury
  3. plane — a tool
  4. object — an aim
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. snap — to click
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wound — an injury
  14. object — to protest
  15. bound — tied together
  16. fine — high quality
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fine — all right
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — obliged
  24. object — a thing

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