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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ground — a position
  4. plane — a tool
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wind — moving air
  14. key — in music
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. staff — employees
  18. ground — crushed
  19. wind — moving air
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. key — for a lock
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. key — the most important part
  24. ground — the earth

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