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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. ground — the earth
  5. wound — an injury
  6. lean — thin
  7. pit — a hole
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fine — high quality
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. drill — the tool
  13. board — to get on
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — a practice
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. ground — a position
  18. fine — all right
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. ground — crushed
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. board — a committee
  24. lean — to bend

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