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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. last — finally
  5. rest — a break
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. last — final
  8. track — to keep track
  9. spring — a coil
  10. track — a song
  11. track — a path
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — in football
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. last — to go on
  20. charge — in control
  21. spring — of water
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. rest — what's left

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