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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. last — finally
  4. wind — moving air
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. last — final
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. foot — a measure
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. season — in sport
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. last — to go on
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. nail — for a hammer

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