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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. track — a song
  3. face — to point toward
  4. ground — a position
  5. track — a path
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. vault — a safe
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bore — to tire
  10. spring — of water
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. face — part of the head
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — crushed
  15. plane — a tool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. spring — a coil
  20. face — to confront
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rush — hurry
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bore — to drill

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