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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. spell — magic
  8. rest — a break
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. capital — a city
  13. rock — music
  14. lie — to recline
  15. capital — money
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. rest — what's left
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. spell — letters

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