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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. plane — a tool
  4. row — to paddle
  5. object — a thing
  6. race — a contest
  7. object — to protest
  8. tube — a container
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. club — for dancing
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pit — a hole
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. race — humankind
  16. row — a line
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. object — an aim
  19. race — the arms race
  20. club — for golf
  21. pit — in a race
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. tube — the underground
  24. club — a group

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