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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bank — for money
  4. last — finally
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. saw — the tool
  9. last — final
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. last — to go on
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wind — moving air
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wind — moving air
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pit — a hole
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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