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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. plane — a tool
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. track — a path
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — a safe
  12. cap — of ice
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. track — to keep track
  15. board — a committee
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. shower — rain
  18. track — a song
  19. cap — a hat
  20. deal — to handle
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. board — to get on
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. cap — a lid

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