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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. plane — a tool
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. season — in sport
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bore — to tire
  11. scale — size or range
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. face — to point toward
  14. scale — in music
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. face — to confront
  22. season — of the year
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. season — to add flavour

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